Greens leader Brantner: Berlin Left Party 'did not stick to the agreement'
After coalition exploratory talks in Berlin were halted, Franziska Brantner accused the Left of breaking its word. The Left said it was surprised and that the antisemitism deal still stands.
Archive image · Photo: Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Bundestagsfraktion / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Greens national co-leader Franziska Brantner defended the suspension of exploratory coalition talks with the Left Party in Berlin. "The Left Party did not stick to the agreement. And that is regrettable," she said on ARD's "Maischberger" talk show on Tuesday evening. She said the Berlin Left had a problem with antisemitism and organized crime that had to be resolved before other issues. "We hope the Left Party comes back to the table," Brantner said.
The Greens and the Social Democrats paused the talks on Tuesday evening. Earlier, the new Left caucus had admitted Vanessa Emde, a lawmaker from Neukölln criticized for past remarks on Israel's right to exist. Lead candidates Werner Graf (Greens) and Steffen Krach (SPD) said they had "taken note that the Left reached other arrangements in its caucus." They expect the Left to make clear how it intends to implement the agreements.
Left caucus co-leader Tobias Schulze told RBB's Abendschau he was surprised: "From our point of view, last week's agreement stands." All 44 Left lawmakers present, including Emde, signed at the caucus's inaugural session a declaration on fighting antisemitism and on Israel's right to exist. The Left won 25.7% in the Sept. 20 election; together with the Greens and SPD it holds 91 of 153 seats.