Head of German Bishops demands rainbow flag be hung in German Parliament

Rainbow flag at the Bundestag? Julia Klöckner counters Bätzing's criticism

Bishop Georg Bätzing had said he would have liked to see the rainbow flag at the Bundestag. The President of the Bundestag poses a counter-question.

President of the Bundestag Julia Klöckner (CDU) rejects Bishop Georg Bätzing's criticism of the handling of the rainbow flag in the Bundestag. "The bishop's regret is astonishingly selective. Did the Vatican or did all bishoprics raise a rainbow flag on Pride Day?" she asks in the weekly newspaper "Die Zeit."

Bätzing, the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, had lamented that the rainbow flag did not fly at the Bundestag on Christopher Street Day (Pride Day). Klöckner countered that the flag had already been displayed on May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia – in accordance with a decree by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, which states that it may only be displayed once a year.

Why Klöckner remains in the Church

Klöckner sees the churches in a difficult situation: "Similar to the political parties, they are struggling with a loss of membership and trust." Applause from those who otherwise criticize the church does not automatically bring back church members.

At the same time, the politician emphasized her personal connection to the religious community: "Why am I voluntarily in the church and pay for it? Because it provides guidance, fosters community, promotes solidarity, and because it points beyond everyday life, strengthening my faith in God."

As a Christian, she believes "in God and the message of charity." This has sociopolitical, but "not automatically party-political, relevance." The Church can achieve more than day-to-day politics and is more than an NGO or political party.

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