Are lawmakers in Germany trying to get busy while working on legislation even during proceedings of that country’s parliament?

One government official allegedly said in a recent podcast that “I was surprised at how high the impact density on Grindr is in the Bundestag.”

Grindr is described as an LGBT-oriented dating app

As a result of this revelation, some in Germany are wondering if this alleged phone-scrolling activity is swiping time from taxpayers.

“You just go through all the apps from time to time, including Grindr,” Sven Lehmann, an MP for Germany’s Green Party, said, according to an online translation of a story published in the Berlin-headquartered Bild tabloid.

“Why not? Grindr is also work,” the official added.

Lehmann, reportedly the parliamentarian who allegedly made these comments, also serves in the newly created position of the Federal Government Commissioner for the Acceptance of Sexual and Gender Diversity.

Under many parliamentary systems in Europe and elsewhere, elected national politicians can serve in what we would consider the legislative and executive branches of government at the same time.

The Bundestag is the parliamentary body, as it were, that is located in the Reichstag building in Berlin and is roughly equivalent to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“When asked by BILD, Lehmann explained that he ‘regularly receives and answers questions about progress in the federal government’s queer policy’ via the Grindr app. The task of politics is also ‘target group-oriented communication,'” the tabloid asserted.

“In addition, since the emergence of monkeypox, Lehmann has been concerned with the question of how ‘stigmatization-free prevention and communication can succeed.’ The Grindr app is an example of such communication, as it provides education and information,” Bild explained.

“The Green politician however says that he does not see a problem with the prevalent use of the app, saying that politicians can gain valuable information through the platform on topics such as monkeypox,” Breitbart News similarly noted.

As alluded to above, “The declaration that the use of gay dating apps during a sitting of the German parliament constitutes work for politicians has been met with mixed reactions in the country, with some openly deriding the suggestion that swiping on dating apps at such times is acceptable,” Breitbart summarized.

An MP from the Christian Social Union party commented that “Dating apps are a private matter and should remain so. When Mr. Lehmann mixes his private and professional life, you have to ask yourself about his work ethic.”

As a result of the September 2021 federal election, Germany is currently ruled by a left-wing alliance under Chancellor Olaf Scholz led by his Social Democrats and which includes the Green Party.

The combination government is known as the traffic-light coalition because of the various parties’ colors.

Germany is facing winter fuel shortages owing to its mounting energy crisis, in large part because of its reliance on now-cut-off Russian natural gas imports owing to Germany’s support for Ukraine in the ongoing war.

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.