Overview

• In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner denied exercising her office in a partisan manner.
• She argued that free speech covers views one disagrees with and warned against labeling dissenting opinions as extremist.
• Klöckner said she did not draw a direct comparison between taz and Nius, asserting she instead cautioned against harmful block formation in society and the media.
• Opposition figures from SPD, the Greens, and the Left have criticized her conduct, with Robert Habeck calling her a miscast for the role and questioning her impartiality.
• Her recent scrutiny includes refusing to fly the rainbow flag for Christopher Street Day at the Reichstag and appearing at a CDU event on the grounds of entrepreneur Frank Gotthardt, identified as a Nius backer.