A political dispute has erupted in Germany, centering on the intersection of migration policy and LGBTQ+ rights. Alexander Hoffmann, leader of the CSU’s parliamentary group, accused the Green Party of fostering a migration policy that exhibits prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals. This charge was a direct response to criticisms leveled by Green Party leadership against the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Hoffmann argued that the Greens’ accusations of disrespect and prejudice directed towards Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the Bundestag President likely represent the views of activist factions within the party, rather than reflecting the sentiments of the broader LGBTQ+ community in Germany. He emphasized that this community frequently experiences hostility, particularly from individuals who have recently arrived in Germany from primary countries of origin for undocumented migration. He called on the Green Party to acknowledge its responsibility concerning its migration policies and their perceived impact.
The exchange began when Katharina Dröge, parliamentary group leader for the Greens in the Bundestag, urged Chancellor Merz to participate in the “Christopher Street Day” (CSD) celebrations in Cologne. Dröge condemned Merz’s comparison of the raising of rainbow flags on the Bundestag to a “circus” characterizing it as disrespectful to the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights. The statements highlight increasingly sensitive divisions within German politics regarding cultural sensitivity, integration and the perceived impact of migration on established social values.