Ahead of Cologne’s Pride celebration, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Family Minister Josefine Paul (Green Party) has voiced concern over a growing pressure exerted on LGBTQ+ individuals by right-wing and Islamist groups. In an interview with the “Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung” Paul emphasized that the issue extends beyond the rights of queer people, encompassing the protection of diversity and, ultimately, the preservation of Germany’s liberal democratic order.
Paul strongly criticized the recent decision by the Bundestag president to prohibit the display of the rainbow flag on the parliament building, citing neutrality concerns. She stated that when it comes to safeguarding democracy and an open society, neutrality is untenable and she firmly stands in support of human rights and civil liberties, which inherently include the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.