Negotiations to form Berlin's next government begin roughly 10 days after The Left topped the Sept. 20 vote with 25.7%. Initial talks between The Left, the Greens and the SPD will focus on joint commitments to combat anti‑Semitism, address racism and confront organized crime. Concerns about incidents linked to The Left — including an election‑night event in Neukölln — have made such assurances a precondition for formal exploratory talks. If successful, Elif Eralp could become Berlin's first female mayor.
Berlin Coalition Talks Kick Off After The Left’s Election Upset — Anti‑Semitism, Racism and Organized Crime Top Agenda
FILE PHOTO - Elif Eralp, top candidate and deputy chair of The Left party's parliamentary caucus, addresses supporters and party members at an election party held by Berlin's The Left at the Festsaal Kreuzberg. (is associated with: «Berlin coalition talks kick off after hard-left election win») Sebastian Gollnow/dpa
Negotiations to form Berlin's next regional government are due to start on Thursday morning, roughly one and a half weeks after voters went to the polls for the city's House of Representatives on Sept. 20. The hard-left party The Left (Die Linke) emerged as the largest party with 25.7% of the vote and is leading initial coalition discussions with the Greens and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).
Preliminary Meeting And Priorities
Senior figures from The Left, the Greens and the SPD will meet first for a preliminary discussion aimed at securing shared commitments to combat anti‑Semitism, tackle racism and confront organized crime. The Greens and The Left have described such an understanding as a 'basic prerequisite' before formal exploratory talks can begin.
Those demands follow a series of incidents that unsettled potential partners, including the presence at a Left election-night event in Neukölln on Sept. 20 of an individual alleged to be the head of an Arab clan with criminal ties and the appearance of a controversial pro‑Palestinian activist. Coalition partners say resolving questions about associations and public-safety concerns will be central to building trust.
What’s At Stake
If the parties can agree on the initial safeguards and policy priorities and proceed to a full coalition agreement, The Left's lead candidate and co‑parliamentary group leader, Elif Eralp, could become Berlin’s first female mayor. The talks will test whether the three parties can reconcile progressive policy goals with the practical demands of governing and public-security assurances.
Timeline: Negotiations begin roughly 10–11 days after the election; formal exploratory talks are expected to follow once the preliminary commitments are secured.
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