Coalition negotiations in Berlin: doubt whether the SPD will make it

The leadership of the Left party faction in the Berlin House of Representatives has declared there is no longer a basis for cooperation with newly elected member Vanessa Emde. Following a crisis meeting, co-faction leader Tobias Schulze stated that the group had constituted itself with a representative who does not cooperate with the party at the district, state, or federal level. Schulze indicated that Emde’s recent social media post effectively withdrew her signature from the faction’s founding declaration, which explicitly affirms the right of Israel to exist. The faction board scheduled a digital session to discuss further steps, including potential expulsion, but postponed the decision after Emde called in sick. She was invited back to the next meeting, set for Tuesday. The conflict escalated following an Instagram video published by Emde on Thursday evening. In the clip, she reiterated statements made during her campaign, asserting that states do not possess a right to existence, while humans do. She described this position as a self-evident principle of international law. Emde stated she would not retract any of her remarks and refused to be deterred by media attacks, threats of expulsion, or bureaucratic maneuvers. She criticized the faction’s earlier anti-Semitism declaration as incomplete, noting it selectively cited party resolutions. Specifically, she pointed out that the document omitted a June party congress resolution that officially labeled Israeli actions in the Gaza war as genocide. Emde argued that the declaration amounted to forced confession regarding a two-state solution, intended as a gift to coalition partners. Emde was directly elected from the Neukölln constituency in the September 20 election, entering the parliament for the first time. During the campaign, she focused heavily on Palestinian solidarity. Her positions have drawn accusations of anti-Semitism within her own ranks. On Tuesday, prior to the video release, all members of the Left faction signed a joint statement committing to the fight against anti-Semitism, the protection of Jewish life, and the right of Israel to exist. This signing occurred just days before the video was released, leading the faction leadership to conclude that Emde had reneged on the agreement. The dispute has complicated ongoing negotiations for a new government in Berlin. The Left emerged as the strongest force in the September 20 election with 25.7 percent of the vote, followed by the Christian Democratic Union at 18.8 percent, the Alternative for Germany at 16.3 percent, the Greens at 14.3 percent, and the Social Democrats at 12.1 percent. The previous governing coalition lost its majority. The Left, Greens, and Social Democrats have been conducting exploratory talks for a red-green-red coalition. These discussions were temporarily suspended due to disagreements over how to handle anti-Semitism within the Left party. A joint anti-Semitism agreement reached by the three parties is intended to become part of any future coalition contract, with sanctions up to faction exclusion for violations. Reactions from potential coalition partners have been mixed but generally supportive of the Left’s distancing from Emde. Werner Graf, head of the Green faction, praised the Left for acting quickly to address the issue. Steffen Krach and Bettina König, state leaders of the Social Democrats, welcomed the clarification that the Left sees no common working foundation with Emde. However, the situation remains tense. A Berlin alliance against anti-Semitism issued an open letter urging the Greens and Social Democrats to halt negotiations entirely, arguing that the Left fails to sufficiently combat internal anti-Semitism and that its representatives sometimes march alongside anti-Israel activists. The controversy extends beyond the local parliamentary chamber. Federal Left party chairwoman Ines Schwerdtner defended Emde’s legal reasoning on Monday, stating that it is legally correct under international law that states lack a specific right to existence, though she personally disagrees with the application of that logic to Israel. Schwerdtner emphasized that the party supports the security of both Israel and Palestine. Meanwhile, the Christian Democratic Union has intensified its criticism of the exploratory talks. State secretary Lukas Krieger dismissed the tripartite anti-Semitism agreement as worthless paper, questioning why the Social Democrats and Greens continue to allow themselves to be led around. Federal party chief Friedrich Merz has similarly called for the termination of the negotiations. Separate incidents involving the Left party have added to the pressure. In Trier, Jörg Johann, the head of the Left group in the city council, posted comments on his personal Facebook account advising Jewish publicist Malca Goldstein-Wolf to emigrate or avoid Berlin. Goldstein-Wolf had previously criticized President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s silence regarding the anticipated coalition. Johann claimed his account was hacked and deleted the post, but Goldstein-Wolf questioned the plausibility of the hack given that he retained access to delete the account himself. She announced plans for legal action. The Left faction in Berlin is scheduled to resume consultations next week. The Greens and Social Democrats have already voted in favor of proceeding with formal coalition negotiations based on the current exploratory framework. The Left party will hold a party conference on October 31 to formally approve the start of these talks, delayed by school holidays. If approved, negotiations could begin in early November. The outcome of the internal debate regarding Emde will likely determine whether the red-green-red coalition can move forward or if the political deadlock persists.