German Justice Minister backs adding 'sexual identity' to Basic Law after CSD attack

Following a recent attack at Berlin's Christopher Street Day (CSD) event, German Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig has called for the inclusion of "sexual identity" in the anti-discrimination clause of Germany's Basic Law. Hubig, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), stated her support for amending Article 3, Paragraph 3 of the constitution.

This article currently prohibits discrimination based on factors such as ancestry, language, origin, faith, religion, or political beliefs. Hubig argued that it is a logical step to extend this constitutional protection to prohibit unequal treatment based on sexual identity. She indicated that discussions on this matter are ongoing within the government.

The LGBTQ+ community has long advocated for such a constitutional amendment. The SPD has reiterated this demand following the Islamist-inspired attack on the Berlin CSD in late July, where an assailant drove a car into pedestrians before injuring others. The attack resulted in one death and at least 31 injuries, seven of them severe.

However, the proposal faces opposition from the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the SPD's coalition partner. Thorsten Frei, the CDU parliamentary group leader, has stated that he does not consider the addition necessary and believes it would "overburden" the Basic Law. Despite this, Hubig noted that there are encouraging signals from within the Union, referencing state governments led by the CDU. She also pointed to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's personal address to the queer community after the CSD attack, reaffirming the state's commitment to their protection, suggesting a constitutional amendment would solidify this promise.