Maik Brückner, queer-issues spokesperson for the Left Party in the Bundestag, described Frei’s remarks as part of a “devastating course in national queer politics.” View this post on Instagram Instagram|In social media, there was some sharp criticism of the Union’s blocking stance. One X user wrote: “The Basic Law has around 23,000 words. However, that approach could backfire: in 2017, three-quarters of Union lawmakers voted to maintain the ban on same-sex marriage. In contrast, SPD, Greens and Left have been advocating for explicitly enshrining queer protections in Article 3 for years.