No Right-Wing Politics – From Anyone!

Eric Stehr is a remarkable man. In 2023, he organized the first CSD in Burgenlandkreis. CSD stands for Christopher Street Day. It is a celebration and demonstration for queer rights.

Now Stehr is taking another step forward. He is running as a candidate for Die Linke party. He wants a seat in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt. This is a big step for a young activist.

Stehr talks about his path into politics. It was not an ordinary path. He started as an organizer of a local event. Now he wants to change laws and policies.

Queer visibility in rural areas is important to him. In big cities, many queer people are visible. In rural areas, this is different. Many queer people feel isolated there. Stehr wants to change that.

He also discusses the dangers of the AfD. The AfD is a right-wing populist party in Germany. Stehr fears a government with the AfD. Such a government would be bad for queer people. Also for other groups in society.

Stehr says clearly: no right-wing politics. Not from the AfD. Not from other parties. Everyone deserves respect and equal rights. This applies to queer people in rural areas too.

His work shows that change is possible. First, organize a CSD in a small region. Then enter politics to make real difference. Stehr is an example for other queer activists in Germany.

The elections in Saxony-Anhalt are an important test. How much support do progressive and queer-friendly politicians receive? The answer will say much about the future of queer people in Eastern Germany.