Скачать или смотреть "Not a circus tent" - Merz defends move not to fly rainbow flag on Bundestag

On the ARD talk show "Maischberger", German Chancellor Friedrich Merz backed Bundestag President Julia Klöckner's stance on Christopher Street Day (CSD).

When asked how he felt about Klöckner's decision not to fly the rainbow flag on the Bundestag for CSD, he said: “The Bundestag is not a circus tent” on which flags can be hoisted at will. There is one day a year, 17 May - the day against homophobia - when the rainbow flag is flown.

Klöckner, who belongs to the same party as Merz, had previously decided not to raise the flag at the parliament for the CSD parades on 26 July, as in previous years.

Chancellor Merz has sparked widespread criticism with his "circus tent" statement about the flying of the rainbow flag at the Bundestag - including in the ranks of his coalition partner, the SPD.

"That is a very unfortunate statement. And the Federal Chancellor should reconsider this statement," said SPD MP Armand Zorn.

In times when "queer people experience a lot of hostility, I don't think this is the right statement", Zorn added.
SHOTLIST
SOUNDBITE (German) Friedrich Merz, German chancellor:
"There is a flag decree."

"Maischberger" HOST (German):
"Last year it was still possible."

SOUNDBITE (German) Friedrich Merz, German chancellor:
"There are... Yes. The Bundestag is not a circus tent on which you can hoist flags at will. There is one day of the year, May 17, when the rainbow flag is flown and on all other days the German flag and the European flag are flown on the German Bundestag and no other. And this decision is the right one. No one is ... Everyone can hoist whatever flags they want on their own doorstep. But we're talking about the German parliament here. And in the German parliament, it is not just any flag that is flown every day, but the German national flag and the European flag. May 17 is Christopher Street Day, when these groups are commemorated. You can hang up a different flag there. Not the rest of the year, 364 days."

"Maischberger" HOST (German):
"Not for the parade, but for Christopher Street Day. Did I understand you correctly?"

SOUNDBITE (German) Friedrich Merz, German chancellor:
"That's the day, May 17, and according to the federal government's flag decree, that's how it's done for everyone. And that is correct that way."