regional government of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) displays rainbow flags before the Landtag, in contrast to the federal government's stance.

Stand: 18.06.2025, 17:43 CET

Bundestag President Klöckner Pulls the Plug on the Rainbow Flag, Leaving NRW State Parliament to Raise It High

By Nina Magoley, the Uncensored Journalist

This year's Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade in Berlin hits a snag with the Bundestag Presidency calling it quits on the rainbow flag. Bureaucratic beast Julia Klöckner (CDU), known for her controversial moves, deemed the flag of the queer community unfit for wave-singing outside of the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17th. The flag's first hoist on the Bundestag took place in 2022.

Klöckner didn't just put a pin in the rainbow flag. She also axed the queer rainbow network of the Bundestag administration's foot group participation in the CSD parade, a tradition upheld in previous years.

Verdi: "Backslide the Clock"

Stirring the pot, this decision brewed tension and ire from all corners - including the Greens, the Left in the Bundestag, and Verdi union chief Frank Werneke. He called out the move as a disheartening societal regression - a "de facto protest ban" - and demanded a U-turn.

SPD politicians squawk about CSD abandonment from the Bundestag administration | tagesschau

State government flaunts the flag

The CSD in Düsseldorf kicks off this Thursday, and NRW gets down to showing political support the old-fashioned way: "That's what İlayda Bostancıeri, spokesperson for queer politics of the Green state parliament faction NRW, declared on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the state parliament confirmed the news to our website:

"The presidency of the state parliament unanimously decided in May 2023 that the state parliament building would be adorned with the well-known rainbow flag on selected occasions." In addition to the days of the CSD parade in Düsseldorf, this also covers the International Day Against Homo-, Bi-, Inter- and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), celebrated annually on May 17th.

", said the Green Bostancıeri.

Bundestag administration defends its stance

Stepping out of the shadows, the Bundestag administration defended its controversial decision: "Participation, and on personal time, employees are free to participate."

Klöckner's decision received harsh criticism from all corners. Federal queer commissioner Sophie Koch regarded it as a “step back”. Six members of the SPD Bundestag faction penned a letter to Klöckner urging her to reconsider the participation ban for the queer group of the Bundestag administration. "We deem this a misstep and, unfortunately, also dangerous given the current social climate," they stated.

The event is about standing up for the values enshrined in the Basic Law, which include respect for human dignity and the prohibition of discrimination.

CDU Education minister rides solo

In the midst of the controversy, Berlin's ruling mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) confirmed his CSD participation. A spokesperson affirmed: "In Berlin, the rainbow flag is regularly raised..."

Participating in the CSD: Federal Minister of Families Prien

**Fresh face Karin Prien (CDU), now the Minister for Families, is determined to make a mark in her own way: The newly appointed minister announced in an interview in 'Der Spiegel' that she'd journey to Berlin’s CSD with a separate vehicle.

In a separate interview with 'taz', Prien declared participating a crucial sign of recognition and respect for the diversity in society.**

Sources:

Press release from the NRW state parliament
Press release from the Green state parliament faction NRW
News agency DPA
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Insight:

The decision to ban the rainbow flag during the 2025 CSD parade incited considerable controversy and controversy, leading to the Bundestag withdrawing from the Berlin Pride event. Critics saw this as a backward step in the visibility and support for LGBTQ+ rights, and an inconsistent move given the Bundestag's prior support for LGBTQ+ rights. Some political parties and advocates labeled it as undermining the inclusive message traditionally represented by the rainbow flag during Pride events.

In the face of criticism, the NRW state parliament chose to affirm its support for LGBTQ+ rights by raising the rainbow flag on selected occasions, including during the CSD parade and International Day Against Homophobia.
Despite the Bundestag's decision to distance itself from the 2025 CSD parade, various political figures and parties, such as the Greens, SPD, and Verdi, have spoken out against the move, labeling it as a step back in the visibility and support for LGBTQ+ rights.