Die Linke wins Berlin election; antisemitism and expropriation plans dominate coalition debate
Die Linke won the Berlin state election on 20 September, and its candidate Elif Eralp may become mayor. Coalition talks are clouded by antisemitism allegations and by the party's plan to take large landlords' housing into public ownership.
Updated (version 2). Rewritten with the latest reporting.
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The story, neutrally told
The Left Party (Die Linke) won the Berlin election on 20 September, and its top candidate Elif Eralp could become the city's first Left mayor. Deutsche WelleN “The socialist Left Party won the Berlin election on September 20.” Read at Deutsche Welle ↗ Preliminary talks with the SPD and the Greens were scheduled for 1 October. The party has only a narrow majority and needs partners to govern. Deutsche WelleN “Preliminary talks with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the environmentalist Green Party are scheduled to take place on October 1.” Read at Deutsche Welle ↗ Hot AirR “The Left has a tiny majority though and will have to pick up partners for a coalition.” Read at Hot Air ↗ Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said the party has lost credibility in fighting antisemitism and urged the SPD and Greens not to form a coalition with it. Deutsche WelleN “Schuster explicitly appealed to the SPD and the Greens not to form a coalition with the election winner.” Read at Deutsche Welle ↗
Two incidents drew criticism: a rapper's performance at a party campaign event, and the appearance of a PFLP supporter at its victory party. Party leaders say they distanced themselves from both. Deutsche WelleN “The leaders of the Left Party have repeatedly distanced themselves from both incidents, both at the federal and state levels.” Read at Deutsche Welle ↗ Federal Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) accused the party of embracing antisemitism. The party is seeking an injunction to force deletion of her ministry's video, and co-chair Ines Schwerdtner called it propaganda paid for with taxpayer money. Deutsche WelleN “The Left Party is now seeking an injunction to compel the Minister of Economic Affairs to delete the video.” Read at Deutsche Welle ↗ A group of 150 prominent Jews signed an open letter backing the party. They called the antisemitism accusations political weaponization and named the AfD as the greater threat. Deutsche WelleN “In an open letter, a group of 150 prominent Jews from various social backgrounds has voiced support for the Left Party.” Read at Deutsche Welle ↗
The party's plan to take large private housing portfolios into public ownership has unsettled property markets. Bloomberg, quoted by Hot Air, reported that Vonovia and Grand City Properties shares fell about 20% this quarter, though the party faces steep hurdles. Hot AirR “The party needs the support of others to govern and faces steep hurdles in executing its expropriation plan” Read at Hot Air ↗ Campaigners' proposal would transfer roughly 220,000 apartments to public ownership. Berliners voted in 2021 to nationalize large portfolios, but the city did not act on it. Hot AirR “A proposal drafted by campaigners frustrated by the lack of action would transfer roughly 220,000 apartments into public ownership.” Read at Hot Air ↗ Vonovia said it expects Chancellor Friedrich Merz to stop states from introducing expropriation laws, which it considers unconstitutional. It also said it is ready to engage constructively with Berlin's next government. Hot AirR “Vonovia said it expects Chancellor Friedrich Merz to prevent states from introducing expropriation laws, which the company believes are unconstitutional.” Read at Hot Air ↗
Eralp told a party congress that calls for violence and statements frightening Jewish people must never come from the party's platforms. She pledged to combat antisemitism and to make Palestinian and Muslim people feel safe. Deutsche WelleN “"I will strengthen Berlin's diverse Jewish community and combat antisemitism. And Palestinian and Muslim people must also feel seen and safe," Eralp said.” Read at Deutsche Welle ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Explanatory report on the antisemitism dispute over the Left Party and how it complicates coalition talks. Presents critics and Jewish supporters of the party side by side.
- Emphasis
- Positions of the Central Council, federal ministers, the party's leaders and the open letter. Expropriation gets only a brief mention.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Says little about the expropriation plan's market effects, or about voter demographics.
- For example
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“The Central Council of Jews in Germany thinks the Left Party is dangerous. Other Jews, however, are showing solidarity with the party. How does that add up?” — Deutsche Welle
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Opinion piece presenting the victory as a looming threat to Berlin's economy, policing and Jewish community. It links the party to Zohran Mamdani and attacks Chancellor Merz.
- Emphasis
- Expropriation and falling real estate stocks, Muslim voter share, policing changes and immigration.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Leaves out the party leaders' condemnations of antisemitism, the Jewish open letter supporting the party, and the party's legal challenge to the ministry video.
- Charged language
- “Berlin Communists”“economic voodoo”“rotten aura”“Dummkopfs”
- For example
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“Die Linke (the Left) and the literal reincarnation of East Germany's old communist party, but with shiny new faces, won themselves a seat at the head of the table.” — Hot Air
What every side reports
- Die Linke won the Berlin election in September 2026.
- The party needs coalition partners to govern.
- Elif Eralp is the party's leading candidate for mayor.
- The party's plan to take large housing companies into public ownership is a central controversy.
- Its Gaza stance and the appearance of a PFLP supporter at its victory party have drawn criticism.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the Left Party is a danger to Jewish life in Berlin
- Centre
- DW reports both sides: the Central Council of Jews and federal officials say yes, while 150 prominent Jews and some demonstrators reject the claim. It notes the party leaders' repeated distancing from the incidents.
- Right
- Hot Air says the party's victory party drew 'notorious Hamas supporters' and that its policies bode ill for Berlin's Jewish community.
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Character of the party
- Centre
- DW calls it a 'socialist' party and records its leaders' condemnations of antisemitism.
- Right
- Hot Air calls it 'Communists', the 'literal reincarnation' of East Germany's ruling party, and 'far-left'.
Die Linke party
Its leaders say they reject antisemitism and condemn the incidents. They accuse the economy minister of using public money for propaganda and are seeking an injunction.
“"Reiche is using taxpayer money to spread propaganda against the Left Party on the Economy Ministry's official channel," said Left Party Federal Co-Chair Ines Schwerdtner.” — Deutsche Welle
Central Council of Jews in Germany organisation
Says the Left Party has lost credibility in fighting antisemitism and urges other parties not to form a coalition with it.
“"In the fight against antisemitism, which is tolerated and allowed to run rampant within the party's ranks, the Left Party no longer has any credibility,"” — Deutsche Welle
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Germany debates alleged antisemitism in the Left Party
Neutral Balanced explainer on the antisemitism controversy, giving critics and Jewish supporters of the party their own voices.
Right1 article
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Hot AirR · · Opinion
Newly Victorious Berlin Communists Already Doing the Economic Voodoo That They Do So Well
Alarmist Partisan opinion column casting the win as a communist takeover that threatens housing, policing and Jewish safety.
- 29 Sep 19:40 First Hot AirR Newly Victorious Berlin Communists Already Doing the Economic Voodoo That They Do So Well Opinion
- 30 Sep 17:54 +22h 14m Deutsche WelleN Germany debates alleged antisemitism in the Left Party
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.