Education minister slammed for homophobic comments

Education Minister Anja Karliczek faced criticism on Thursday after she questioned Germany's decision to recognize marriage equality in a television interview.

Karliczek, who belongs to Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), had said the decision to legally enshrine marriage equality in Germany in 2017 was rushed. She then claimed that there were no long-term studies about the effects on children of having two parents of the same gender.

"I think the way we did it was not right," Karliczek told news channel ntv, referring to the decision to legalize same-sex marriage.

Federal Minister for Families and Women Franziska Giffey immediately reminded her Cabinet colleague that such scientific research does exist.

"Studies have already shown that children develop just as well under homosexual partnerships as they do in families with mothers and fathers…what counts is that people lovingly take care of their children," said Giffey, a member of the Social Democrats (SPD).

'Sham arguments'

Left party lawmaker Doris Achelwilm accused Karliczek of "denying reality" and presenting "sham arguments" in an interview with the Funke Mediengruppe.

Achelwilm further pointed out that there had been plenty of time for debate about marriage equality in the Bundestag and that the majority of Germans had supported the legislation.

Sven Lehmann of the Green party also pointed out that numerous long-term studies have been carried out on the subject, and said Karliczek was going to make some German children suffer because of her "discriminatory statements."

es/sms (AFP, KNA)