A dispute has emerged within the German government regarding the participation of Bundestag employees in the upcoming Berlin Christopher Street Day (CSD) event.
While Bundestags President Julia Klöckner, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has prohibited employees of the Bundestag administration from participating as a group in the CSD, the Minister of Education, Karin Prien, also a CDU member, has announced that her ministry will be represented at the event with a separate vehicle.
Prien emphasized the importance of acknowledging and respecting the diversity in German society, particularly in the face of increasing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity worldwide and in Germany.
The Bundestag administration’s decision not to participate as a group in the CSD was made by its new leadership, citing the need for neutrality. However, employees are free to participate outside of work hours.
In contrast, Prien’s predecessor, Bärbel Bas, had participated in the CSD as Bundestags President in 2023 and the Bundestag’s rainbow network had participated as a group in the event in 2023 and 2024.
The CSD Berlin, scheduled for July 26, is themed “Never again silent” and is seen as a crucial protest in a time when the achievements of recent decades are being questioned and the queer community is facing increasing attacks. The organizers of the event, which aims to promote the equal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, inter, asexual and queer individuals, believe that the protest remains essential this year as well.