A growing number of politicians are leaving Germany’s Green Party, accusing it of elitism and even racism. While in the Bundestag they demonstrate support for diversity, wrapped in rainbow flags, they are harass their own party members.

Left-wing and Green members of the German parliament, the Bundestag, protested donning colourful attires after the president of the Bundestag banned the display of the rainbow flag on the building during the Berlin Pride events. Paul Gottke decided that „the Bundestag administration, as such, particularly due to the obligation of neutrality, does not participate in political demonstrations or public gatherings.”

Outraged by the decision the Greens this week dressed up as a giant rainbow flag to demonstrate in parliament.

Wenn Julia Klöckner keine Regenbogenflagge AUF dem Bundestag haben will, dann bringen wir sie eben IN den Bundestag 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

LG aus dem Plenarsaal pic.twitter.com/XoFPgS78Ds

— Timon Dzienus (@Dzienus) June 26, 2025

Their action was accompanied by a Green Party proposal demanding measures against “anti-queer hate crimes”.

„The more colourful the parliament, the better,”

said Nyke Slawik, the Greens’ spokesperson for queer policy, Zeit Online reported.

Committed to diversity, while exclusionary within the party

In light of recent scandals, the Greens’ emphasis on diversity is rather peculiar. Just a few days ago, Ikram Chemlal, of Moroccan descent, who had only served as a councillor for three months, left the party and resigned from her post in the city of Bielefeld.

„The Greens in Bielefeld are a very white, elitist and academic party. I felt like I was just a token for migrants,”

Chemlal told Welt.

Die Grünen setzen sich für kulturelle Vielfalt ein, doch intern scheitern sie an ihren Ansprüchen. Die marokkanischstämmige Ikram Chemlal, Co-Vorsitzende in Bielefeld, sagt: „Die Grünen sind eine sehr weiße, elitäre Partei.“ Alle Infos: https://t.co/MiMn5CqWm7 pic.twitter.com/ReyCgQuX4u

— JUNGE FREIHEIT (@Junge_Freiheit) June 26, 2025

She also cited a specific incident that led to her resignation: the departure of Cim Kartal, of Kurdish-Yazidi origin, who had been a member of the city council for 23 years. Upon his resignation, he reported harassment. Despite the fact that, with Kartal’s help, the party increased its support in the state elections from 6 per cent to 16 per cent, he felt he was being pushed out of decision-making.

„I was constantly obstructed. In the end, I was subjected to harassment and personal attacks,”

Kartal said in an interview with Welt.

Last year, directly elected Berlin MP Canan Bayram, who is of Turkish descent, also left the party, and even

accused the Greens of racism,

as reported at the time by the news portal RMX News. In an open letter to voters in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district, the politician declared that it was becoming increasingly unclear what the party actually stood for, and that she could no longer assure voters that they could trust it. She also stated that “discrimination-free work” was no longer possible within the party. She noted that despite „racist incidents” within the district organisation, no effort was made to address them.

„Instead of making advocacy and protection against discrimination a shared responsibility, they shift these tasks onto those affected themselves,”

the Berlin politician wrote at the time.