F*cking Boring: Is Pride Too Politically Correct for the Patriarchal Bundestag?
Have the CSD parades expanded excessively?
By Aljoscha Prange More Info Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Email Print Copy Link Has the Bundestag finally had enough of the colorful display of queer pride during the annual Christopher Street Day?
June is Pride month, and traditionally it's the season for Christopher Street Day (CSD) parades in cities across Germany. With marches and vibrant exhibitions, they honor, applaud, and resist the first known uprising of queer minorities against police violence in New York's Christopher Street.
For years, CSD has been an integral part of Germany's social and political scene. Hoisting the rainbow flag on the Reichstag building has been a clear indicator: for diversity, autonomy, and an inclusive society. But this year, apparently, it's time to call it quits.
Politics Queer People: Showcase Yourself, Bundestag! As Bundestag President Julia Klöckner declared, the Bundestag will not fly the rainbow flag on July 26 - the day of the Berlin CSD parade. Instead, the Pride flag was hoisted on May 17 alongside the federal and European flags. The reasoning behind the CDU politician's decision: On May 17, 1990, the WHO removed homosexuality from its list of diseases. With that, a political statement had already been made, a spokesperson for Klöckner told ntv.de upon request.
"That's some bullsh*t," criticizes Alexander Irmisch. The SPD politician is a co-organizer of the CSD in Regensburg and wishes for stronger support. Due to an "obscure threat situation," the parade in Regensburg on July 5 cannot take place as it has in previous years, but must be shortened. Although there are no concrete threat findings for the event, the police cannot guarantee full protection at all times and everywhere.
"The growing queer hostility now forces us to take additional protective measures," says Irmisch to ntv.de. Against such a "disturbing backdrop," the rearrangement was ultimately necessary to ensure "a boost in participant and security personnel safety." Especially now, the LGBTQIA+ community needs the solidarity of politics. "It's also about signs and symbols."
"Caving to Extremist Pressure"
One such symbol in recent years - besides hoisting the rainbow flag - has been the participation of the queer rainbow network of the Bundestag administration in the CSD. But that's also a no-go this year. The newly appointed director of the Bundestag, Paul Göttke, banned it at the beginning of the week, citing the "mandatory neutrality obligation."
"Selling out to extremist tendencies," describes Verdi chief Frank Werneke the step and demands that the leadership of the authorities retract the "de facto demonstration ban."
The federal queer commissioner, Sophie Koch, also criticized the action. "If the participation of such employee networks is prohibited or made more difficult, I consider such an action to be wrong and unnecessary - especially now," she told the German Press Agency.
Panorama Queer-Hate from the Right "It Starts with Minorities, But Ends with the Center" The decision by the Bundestag leadership was "a political and moral failure on all fronts," wrote Left Party MPs in a letter to the parliamentary president. The Greens demanded in their own letter to Kloeckner to "stand up for the freedom and security of queer people." Members of the SPD parliamentary group called on Kloeckner to allow the queer group of the Bundestag administration to participate in this year's Berlin CSD. The justification of neutrality was particularly confusing, as it states in the letter obtained by dpa. After all, the event is also about upholding the values of the Basic Law, which include the respect for human dignity and the prohibition of discrimination.
CSD Attack in Wernigerode Thwarted?
The decisions of the Bundestag come at a time when the threat against queer people is increasing. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, anti-queer hate crimes were reported in 1,765 cases (a 18 percent increase from 2023) and 1,152 cases targeting trans or non-binary people (a 35 percent increase) last year. "A sad high in anti-queer hate crimes," says Andre Lehmann, board member of the LSVD+ association Queer Diversity.
In the Brandenburg town of Bad Freienwalde, hooded individuals attacked a diversity festival with hammers and wooden planks over the weekend, injuring at least two people.
Politics Attack on Family Festival Masked Individuals Attack Anti-Right Rally in Brandenburg Meanwhile, in nearby Saxony-Anhalt, a 20-year-old is reported to have threatened an attack on the Christopher Street Day in Wernigerode. According to taz reports, he is said to have claimed that he has weapons and "70 rounds" at home, causing the organizers of the parade to file a complaint against him.
Right-wing extremists have announced a counter-demonstration to the Pride parade in the Berlin district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf for the upcoming weekend. According to Tagesspiegel information, the neo-Nazi group "Deutsche Jugend voran" (DJV) is behind the counter-demonstration.
CDU Colleagues Show the Rainbow
While CDU politician Kloeckner decides against the rainbow flag, CDU politicians Karin Prien and Kai Wegner are taking a different route. Like in previous years, the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs will participate in the CSD in Berlin. "Our ministry will again be represented with its own float this year," said Minister Prien to taz. This is "an essential demonstration of recognition and respect for the diversity within our society."
Berlin's ruling mayor has also announced his participation in the city's CSD parade. "Berlin is a city of diversity and tolerance," said Senate spokeswoman Christine Richter. Consequently, the rainbow flag will be hoisted in Berlin on July 26 - "also at the Red City Hall, in the presence of the ruling mayor."
Source: ntv.de
- LGBTIQ
- Homosexuality
- Equality
- SPD
- Police
- Violence
- Right-wing Extremism
- Right-wing Populism
- Julia Kloeckner
- CDU
- German Bundestag
- The Bundestag is not flying the rainbow flag on July 26, 2025, and has withdrawn participation from this year's Berlin CSD parade[1].
- The reasoning behind this and the banning of the Bundestag's queer rainbow network participation from this year's Berlin CSD is tied to the principle of maintaining neutrality in public buildings[3].
- Berlin Pride and the queer community expressed critical concern, viewing the decision as a setback for queer visibility within the CSD event[1].
- Some political figures, such as Julia Klöckner and Ursula von der Leyen, have shown support for LGBTQIA+ rights publicly on other occasions through flag displays, highlighting an inconsistent political environment[5].
- Right-wing extremism presents an increasing threat against queer individuals, with hate crimes against LGBTQIA+ individuals on the rise. [1, 2, 4]
- Masked individuals attacked a diversity festival in Germany[2], and a counter-demonstration to the Pride parade in Berlin is expected by the neo-Nazi group "Deutsche Jugend voran" [3].
- Some CDU politicians, such as Karin Prien and Kai Wegner, have decided to continue participating in the CSD parade, showing support for the event and its values[3].
- The Bundestag's decision to not fly the rainbow flag on July 26, 2025, has sparked criticism from the queer community.
- The CDU politician Julia Klöckner, Bundestag President, made the decision to hoist the Pride flag on May 17 instead, citing a political statement made in 1990.
- The SPD politician Alexander Irmisch criticized Klöckner's decision and called for stronger support for the queer community.
- Due to an "obscure threat situation," the CSD parade in Regensburg on July 5 cannot take place as it has in previous years, but must be shortened.
- Irmisch commented on the rearrangement, saying it was necessary to ensure safety for participants and security personnel.
- Verdi chief Frank Werneke described the step as "selling out to extremist tendencies" and demanded the leadership of the authorities to retract the "de facto demonstration ban."
- The federal queer commissioner, Sophie Koch, also criticized the action.
- Left Party MPs considered the decision by the Bundestag leadership a "political and moral failure on all fronts."
- The Greens demanded that Klöckner stand up for the freedom and security of queer people.
- SPD members of parliament called on Klöckner to allow the queer group of the Bundestag administration to participate in this year's Berlin CSD.
- The justification of neutrality was particularly confusing, as it states in a letter, after all, the event is also about upholding the values of the Basic Law.
- The Federal Criminal Police Office reported a 18 percent increase in anti-queer hate crimes in 2023 and a 35 percent increase in cases targeting trans or non-binary people.
- In the Brandenburg town of Bad Freienwalde, hooded individuals attacked a diversity festival with hammers and wooden planks over the weekend, injuring at least two people.
- In nearby Saxony-Anhalt, a 20-year-old is reported to have threatened an attack on the Christopher Street Day in Wernigerode.
- Right-wing extremists have announced a counter-demonstration to the Pride parade in the Berlin district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf for the upcoming weekend.
- Like in previous years, the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs will participate in the CSD in Berlin with its own float[4].
- Berlin's ruling mayor announced his participation in the city's CSD parade[4].
- Berlin will hoist the rainbow flag on July 26 - "also at the Red City Hall, in the presence of the ruling mayor." [4]
- Despite the current challenges, the queer community continues to celebrate their identity and fight for equal rights in an environment marked by increasing right-wing extremism and political indecision.
