, of the conservative , has been about whether political and cultural symbols have a place in the German legislature.
The Bundestag’s administration, which Klöckner oversees, has ordered deputies to immediately remove rainbow flags displayed in and around their parliamentary offices. The flag represents the LGBTQ+ communities. The reason given by the Bundestag’s administration is that displaying flags in parliament is “fundamentally prohibited, regardless of their symbolism.” A spokesperson added that there had been reports from deputies that rainbow flags displayed in office windows were clearly visible from outside.
Paragraph 4 of the Bundestag’s house rules states that “posting notices, in particular posters, signs, and stickers on doors, walls, or windows in generally accessible buildings of the German Bundestag, as well as on windows and facades of these buildings visible from the outside, is not permitted.”
In the past, flags were generally permitted. Now, Left party member Stella Meredino reported that federal police were called in because of a rainbow flag in her Bundestag office.
Banning Pride symbols
Klöckner, a former agriculture minister who has been the Bundestag president since late March, is a combative conservative. She holds the second-highest office in the country and is expected to chair Bundestag sessions as independently as possible — free from party interests — to ensure that debates are held in a factual and calm manner. She also represents the Bundestag at large, and thus all of the deputies within it. Klöckner has, however, been known to make provocative statements against the Greens and Left, as well as against the Social Democrats, the junior partner’s in the government led by her CDU.
She drew the ire of LGBTQ+ deputies and those who consider themselves allies queer communities when she opposed the rainbow flag’s being flown above the Bundestag on Christopher Street Day, as pride is known in Germany. . Klöckner justified her refusal on grounds of neutrality.
From now on, the flag will be raised on May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. This is although traditionally, CSD marks the most important date of the year for the queer community. This year, CSD falls on July 26. No flag will be flying above the Bundestag. Not even a petition signed by some 220,000 people calling for a rethink changed Klöckner’s mind.
A ‘bigoted understanding’?
Critics say Klöckner fails to recognize the pressures facing queer communities at this moment. Green Party member Lamya Kaddor told DW that Klöckner shows a “bigoted understanding” of neutrality. “At a time when queer people, and thus liberal society, are increasingly targeted by attacks and hateful rhetoric, we cannot afford such a formalistic notion of neutrality. Political responsibility means protecting the freedom and dignity of all people.”
, a fellow member of the CDU, has expressed support for Klöckner. On the well-known Maischberger talk show aired by public broadcaster ARD, Merz said “the Bundestag is not a circus tent” where any flag could be raised at will. He said there was one day a year, May 17, when the rainbow flag would fly from the parliament building.
On Wednesday, however, Merz spoke out in support of queer communities in the Bundestag. “We are doing everything we can to enable queer people to live a good and safe life in our society,” Merz said. He added that “I am personally committed to ensuring that this is the case and improves.” Hostility toward queer people, Merz said, is “no trivial offense and is not appropriate for cheap jokes.”
Like Klöckner, her deputies are all new to the job. One of them, Josephine Ortleb of the Social Democrats, recently told German weekly Die Zeit that she too had a rainbow flag displayed in her Bundestag office. She said “it should not seem like queer symbols are now being suppressed.”
Ortleb, Omid Nouripour of the Greens, and another of Klöckner’s deputies will speak at this year’s CSD in Berlin on July 26. Bundestag employees will also be present. Unlike last year, however, there will be no Bundestag float at the parade. This, too, has been prohibited by Klöckner.
This article was originally written in German
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