Merz provokes the SPD with his comments about the rainbow flag
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) sparked outrage within the Social Democratic Party (SPD) due to his statements about not raising the rainbow flag over the Bundestag building on the occasion of "Christopher Street Day" (CSD). Merz supported the decision of Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, who refused to raise the flag, and said during a television interview: "The Bundestag is not a circus tent."
This statement has caused widespread outrage, and was deemed by the Deputy Chairman of the parliamentary group of the Social Democratic Party, Armand Tsorn, as an "unfortunate statement" unworthy of a counselor at a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community are facing repeated attacks. Alfonso Pantisano, the LGBTQ+ Commissioner in the Berlin government from the Social Democratic Party, responded with great anger on Instagram: "Human dignity is inviolable – stick to that, Mr. Merz! Gay people are not circus horses." He added: "I am very angry and deeply disappointed."
The criticisms did not stop there. The government commissioner for LGBTQ+ affairs, Sophie Koch, asked: "If the rainbow flag is a circus tent flag, how does Meretz view LGBTQ+ people?" She emphasized that raising the flag at the Bundestag at this specific time carries a clear message to protect constitutional values.
In his comment on the controversy, Mike Brokner, spokesperson for the Left Party on LGBTQ+ issues, said: "It is true that the Bundestag is not a circus, but we have a clown in the chancellor's position."
On the other hand, Dirk Wiese from the SPD called for calm, clarifying that he did not oppose raising the flag, considering it "a clear symbol of Germany's openness and tolerance."