Reactions – even within the Christian Union (CDU/CSU) – first cause the Bundestag President, Julia Klekner, to raise the Rainbow’s Flag on July 26, the day of the pride for the LGBTKI It’s not a circus scene. “

Federal Parliament President Julia Klekner announced last week’s decision not to raise the rainbow flag on July 26, the day of “Berlin Pride” or otherwise “Christopher Street”, with a direct reference to the first major demonstrations. York. The flag, he explained, will rise only on May 17, when the international day against homophobia is honored.

“The House is not a circus scene, where flags can be raised at will,” Chancellor Friedrich Mertz said in an interview on the first channel of German public television ARD, fully supporting Mrs Clekner’s attitude. Mr Mertz stressed that the rainbow flag rises to the Bundestag only one day. “All the rest, the Bundestag are rising the German and European flag and no other and this decision is right,” he added.

A “very unfortunate statement” was spoken by the government’s community commissioner+ Sophie Koch: “If the Rainbow flag is a circus flag, what are queer people?” He told ZDF, while “Extremely Unfortunate” (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) Zenke Zigman, stressing that “the flag is not for the circus, but represents human dignity, diversity and solidarity – just like bundestag”.

For this reason, he noted, a meeting with the Chancellor is scheduled for Monday in order to have “more understanding and trust” on the part of the government. Anyway, Mr Zigman added, the distinction made by Mr Mertz is misleading, as “anyone who knows parliament knows that Bundestag also has its circus moments.”

But his reaction was also expressed by Friedrich Mertz’s partner in the federal government: “In times when people LOATKI+ are experiencing particularly high rates of hostility, I do not think this is the right statement. On the contrary, it is a very unfortunate statement, “said SPD’s Vice President Armad Chorn. Their dissatisfaction was also expressed by the Greens, talking about “absolute disrespect”, but also the Left, which described Mr Mertz’s statement as “completely inappropriate”.

In response to relevant questions, Deputy Government Spokesman Sebastian Hile said that the Chancellor “clearly emphasized the importance of Christopher Street, which is an important event for the diversity and the rights of LOATKI+ and the Federal Government”.