German Bundestag Administration withdraws participation from Berlin Pride – Berlin Pride e.V. voices strong criticism

With deep concern, Berlin Pride (Berliner CSD e. V.) reacts to the last-minute withdrawal of the CSD registration by the queer Rainbow Network of the Bundestag Administration. According to our information, the planned walking group – which had already participated in Berlin Pride in 2023 and 2024 – was withdrawn on instruction from the administration’s leadership.

❗ “This is not a passive retreat – it’s an active political rejection of queer visibility,” says the board of Berlin Pride. “And the timing, right in the middle of Pride Month, makes it a deliberate statement against the community.”

Participation in Christopher Street Day is not just symbolic – it reflects a shared democratic commitment to protecting diversity, defending human rights, and standing with marginalized groups. If this visibility is actively blocked by the Bundestag Administration’s leadership, it marks more than just a disappointing decision – it breaks a political taboo.

🏳️‍🌈 “CSDs are lived democracy. Preventing queer employee groups from government institutions from joining sends the message that defending fundamental rights in public is no longer a shared goal,” the board continues. “Especially now, when Pride events are increasingly targeted by far-right extremists, political support is more essential than ever.”

This withdrawal follows a troubling pattern around queer visibility in the Bundestag. Earlier, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner announced that the rainbow flag would not be raised at the Reichstag for this year’s Berlin Pride – a tradition from previous years. A petition launched by All Out in response has already gathered nearly 10,000 signatures. Now that queer employees are also being prevented from marching visibly at Pride, it reinforces the impression of a political reversal.

Berlin Pride e. V. explicitly thanks the Bundestag’s Rainbow Network for its commitment. As a sign of solidarity, we have invited a delegation of network members to join the official Berlin Pride truck. That their efforts have apparently been blocked from above is a display of political cowardice and a step backward for all those working within institutions to defend human rights, diversity, and democracy.

👉 Berlin Pride e. V. calls on Bundestag President Julia Klöckner to publicly explain this decision and clearly affirm the Bundestag’s responsibility to protect queer people.