Mr. Klingbeil, what were your thoughts when you heard about the attack at Berlin’s CSD?
I was shaken. Deeply shaken. An attack on the CSD is an attack on what binds our society together: freedom, diversity, openness. This deadly act reinforced my conviction: we must not yield to Islamist terrorism. Our response is not retreat—but resolve.
Should queer people at the CSDs and all other attendees now have to live in fear?
No. And I say this very deliberately. If people stay home out of fear, they’re giving the perpetrators exactly what they want. Our response must be visibility, solidarity, and unity. At the same time, it’s clear: the state must do everything possible to protect people at such events. We take this very seriously. This act and the way it unfolded must be fully investigated.
Has politics done enough for the rights and protection of queer people?
The SPD has championed the queer community for years. We enacted the Equality Act, legalized marriage for all, and passed a self-determination law that earns its name. We’ve ensured that anti-queer motives are enshrined as aggravating factors in the penal code. But there’s room for improvement — in protection measures, in funding, in legal safeguards.
The CDU-led Family Ministry is cutting funding for the queer youth network, which the SPD also criticizes. How do you intend to reverse that?
Counseling and support services perform indispensable daily work. They must not be weakened. I will pursue adjustments through the parliamentary process.
With the restructuring of the funding program “Democracy Lives!” numerous queer projects are losing federal support, most recently Rathenow’s CSD. Why is the SPD putting up with this?
These federal programs have a long history. I fought to ensure that the “Democracy Lives!” program would continue and be anchored in the coalition agreement. The need is urgent. We feel it at every turn. In the coming process, the goal must be to safeguard proven structures.
Isn’t it finally time to enshrine queer people’s rights in the Basic Law?
Yes. We are putting back on the political agenda, with renewed emphasis, the amendment to Article 3 of the Basic Law to include the feature of “sexual identity.” That’s a longstanding SPD demand. It is more timely than ever. But that also requires a rethink from our coalition partner.
What will you do if the chancellor does not release the vote on Article 3 in the Bundestag? Will the SPD still vote for the initiative from the Bundesrat or the Green Party’s parallel proposal?
That is a decision for Parliament and its factions.
A reform of the parentage law had already been promised by the traffic-light coalition. Will this legislative session end the discrimination against lesbian mothers?
The SPD’s position is clear: queer families should be fully equal in family and parentage law. For us, equality in parentage law is a marker of modern social policy. Therefore we continue to work toward more support and broader majorities.
The SPD has a long tradition of fighting injustice. Many Social Democrats were murdered. How should Social Democratic policy be shaped today?
Social Democratic policy has always been strongest when it showed stance, even when it was uncomfortable. We stand for a society where all people can live and love freely, without fear. That was the aim of our predecessors, and it remains our aim today. We stand firmly against Islamism and against any form of extremism. And we know: millions of Muslims in our country stand by our side — they are often the targets of Islamist violence themselves. They also deserve our protection. Solidarity is not a weakness — it is our strength.
Will the attack’s impact further divide society — or could it have the opposite effect?
Of course we see the way the right is instrumentalizing the attack and fanning more hatred. But I firmly believe this moment can also be a painful moment of clarity. Many people now understand what this is really about: freedom, democracy, the right to live as you are. That is not a given — it must be defended every day.
What thoughts do you have looking ahead to the September elections?
With resolve. We are witnessing what’s on the line — for queer people, for minorities, for our open society as a whole. Those who oppose the constitution should not gain power. The SPD stands clearly with those who want to live freely, safely, and without fear. Now more than ever we must stand up for that.
