German officials call for constitutional protection of queer identities

Ferda Ataman, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, has called for a Bundestag vote to amend the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) to explicitly protect queer individuals from discrimination. Ataman argues that Article 3 must be expanded to protect all groups targeted by extremists, noting that despite the historical persecution of LGBTQ+ people during the National Socialist era, they still lack constitutional protection.

This demand follows opposition from CDU parliamentary group leader Thorsten Frei, who argued that adding sexual identity to the constitution would “overburden” the document and is not a necessary step.

However, Stefan Evers, the CDU Berlin top candidate, has expressed support for the amendment, citing historical responsibility. Additionally, Sönke Siegmann, head of the Lesben- und Schwulen Union (LSU), criticized Frei’s stance, stating that the community requires real protection rather than mere sympathy and questioning how the current leadership intends to strengthen queer rights without constitutional changes.