German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has defended the decision not to raise the rainbow flag, a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, on the Reichstag building in Berlin during the upcoming Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride celebrations. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner supported the move, stating that the parliament building is not a "circus tent" and emphasizing that the rainbow flag was only flown on May 17 due to its parliamentary significance. Merz's remarks sparked criticism from opposition parties including the SPD, Greens, and Left, with some accusing him of disrespect and homophobia. Despite the backlash, Merz and Klöckner maintained that only the German and EU flags should be flown on the Bundestag outside of specific occasions. The controversy has fueled protests and demonstrations, including a symbolic rainbow flag raised by a circus troupe in protest. Meanwhile, Cologne's annual Christopher Street Day parade proceeded with hundreds of thousands of attendees celebrating LGBTQ+ rights, marking one of Europe's largest Pride events amid some far-right protests in eastern Germany.