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The number of divorces in Germany rose slightly in 2025, with around 130,100 marriages dissolved by court order, up 0.6% on the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Over the long term, however, the divorce rate has been falling for more than 20 years, with only a few exceptions.<\/p>\n
In 2025, there were 39.2% fewer divorces than in 2003, when the highest figure since German reunification was recorded. A record low was registered in 2023, followed by a slight increase.<\/p>\n
Fewer people are also getting married: in 2025, 348,800 couples said, “I do,” the lowest number since 1950. That represented a fall of 0.1% compared with the previous year and a drop of 8.9% compared with 2003.<\/p>\n
Last year, divorce came on average after 14 years and seven months of marriage. Around 16% of couples divorced in the year of their silver wedding anniversary or later. In the 1990s, that share was still below 11%.<\/p>\n
Another long-running trend: The share of divorces involving one child is falling, while the share involving two or more children is rising, the Federal Statistical Office said.<\/p>\n
In 2025, children were affected in just over half of all divorces (51.7%). Of those cases, 47.6% of couples had one child, 40.5% had two and 11.9% had three or more. In total, around 113,400 minors were affected.<\/p>\n
At 81%, the majority of marriages were dissolved after a prior separation period of one year. A total of 18% involved divorces after a three-year separation. In 1% of cases, provisions for divorce before a one-year separation or divorces under foreign law applied.<\/p>\n
Around 90% of divorce petitions were filed with the consent of the spouse, while 5.8% were filed jointly. In the remaining 4.1% of cases, the spouse did not give their consent.<\/p>\n
Same-sex couples accounted for 1.3% of divorces in 2025, totalling around 1,700, a rise of 10% compared with the previous year.<\/p>\n
Same-sex couples have been able to marry in Germany since 2017. In 2025, 339,900 marriages were between a man and a woman and 8,900 were between people of the same sex.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n