Berlin: Left, Greens and SPD reach deal, aim for coalition talks
Four weeks after Berlin's state election, the three parties have concluded exploratory talks. Party bodies must now approve; formal coalition negotiations could start in November.
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The Left party, the Greens and the Social Democrats in Berlin have concluded exploratory talks on forming a state government together. Party bodies will be asked to approve formal coalition negotiations, dpa reported, citing sources in all three parties. The parties scheduled a joint statement for 5 p.m. at the Haus der Statistik in the Mitte district to mark the end of the talks.
The Greens are to decide at a small party convention on Monday evening and the Left at a state convention on Oct. 31; no date has been set for the SPD state executive. If all approve, negotiations could begin in early November. Disputed issues included the socialization of large housing companies and fiscal policy, the Berliner Zeitung reported, and talks were briefly suspended over the Left's handling of antisemitism in its ranks.
In the Sept. 20 election, the Left became the strongest party with 25.7%, ahead of the CDU (18.8%), the far-right AfD (16.3%), the Greens (14.3%) and the SPD (12.1%). The alliance would hold 91 of 153 seats. Left party lead candidate Elif Eralp would become the party's first governing mayor of Berlin.