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The article reports that since April 2012, the German state of Baden-Württemberg has recorded 358 marriages involving children, with some as young as 11 years old. Most of these cases involved individuals from countries like Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan, but only eight marriages were formally annulled. The data was obtained through a parliamentary inquiry by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Politicians from AfD argue that child marriages are incompatible with German values and call for effective protection against such practices, highlighting concerns about the rights of children to safety, education, and self-determined futures.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-12,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In Germany, hundreds of child marriages have been uncovered since April 2012, with officials in Baden-Württemberg recording 358 cases, including one involving an 11-year-old Iraqi girl and a teenage boy. Local politicians from the hard-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party obtained this data through a parliamentary inquiry but found that only eight marriages were formally annulled. The majority of these cases involved individuals from Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. For instance, in 2018, a 14-year-old Afghan girl was married to a much older man. These marriages often involve girls being taken out of school early and put at risk for domestic violence, compromising their development and future opportunities.
Written for “Child Marriages Revealed Germany” on 2026-10-12,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.50, but none of the 2 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 74342: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-12
Hundreds of child marriages have been revealed in Germany, as new data indicates that girls as young as 11 are being married off to adult men.
asserted
girls → reveal → men
New data revealed that since April 2012, officials in the German state of Baden-Württemberg recorded 358 marriages involving a child.
asserted
officials → reveal → child
But in just eight of these cases were marriages formally annulled.
asserted
marriages → annul → cases
The data was revealed after local politicians from the hard-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party filed a parliamentary inquiry with the state government.
asserted
politicians → reveal → government
It is unclear when or why this marriage was annulled.
uncertain
marriage → annul → ?
In 2018, meanwhile, a 14-year-old Afghan girl was married to a 30-year-old Afghan man.
asserted
girl → marry → man
This case also left questions as to when or why this marriage was annulled unanswered.
asserted
marriage → leave → questions
Since 2015, a total of 350 instances of child marriage were recorded.
asserted
total → record → marriage
Many of those who were involved in these partnerships came from countries including Syria, Iraq and Pakistan.
asserted
who → involve → Syria
Nikolaos Boutakoglou, one of the AfD politicians who requested the data, said on X: 'Nearly 40% of child marriages were contracted between Syrians, while child marriages between two Germans account for only 0.3%.'
asserted
marriages → request → %
File image of a child marriage in Afghanistan, which saw Parwana Malik (centre) get sold for the equivalent of £1,600 in land, sheep and cash to a stranger named Qorban (left) so her father could pay for food
uncertain
father → file → food
The state government said that despite the hundreds of instances of child marriage, there are not currently any legal proceedings to annul any of them.
asserted
government → say → them
Emely Knoll, the other AfD politician who raised the question of child marriages in the German state, said on her Facebook: 'Child marriages are incompatible with our values.
asserted
marriages → raise → values
'Children have a right to safety, education, and a self-determined future.
asserted
Children → have → safety
That is why we need effective protection, early intervention, and decisive action against forced marriages.'
According to the data from Baden-Württemberg, the vast majority of people who are underage in their marriages are women.
uncertain
who → need → marriages
According to the UN, nearly one-in-five women were married before the age of 18.
uncertain
women → accord → 18
This proportion is worst in west and central Africa, where 32 per cent of women are married before they turn 18.
asserted
they → marry → 18
Worse still, one-in-25 women across the world are married before they turn 15.
asserted
they → marry → 15
Unicef says child marriage is 'a fundamental violation of human rights'.
asserted
marriage → say → rights
It adds on its website: 'Child marriage often compromises a girl’s development by resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation, interrupting her schooling, limiting her opportunities for career and vocational advancement and placing her at risk of domestic violence.'
asserted
marriage → add → violence
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