Berlin's Left party votes on red-green-red talks – Eralp under police protection
At a state party conference in Lichtenberg on Saturday, Berlin's Left party decides whether to open coalition talks with the SPD and the Greens. Several motions oppose the alliance.
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Video: YouTube · WELT Nachrichtensender · youtube.com
Berlin's Left party (Die Linke) decides on Saturday at an extraordinary state party conference whether to open coalition negotiations with the SPD and the Greens. The conference at the Dong Xuan building in Lichtenberg starts at 10 a.m. and opens with a speech by parliamentary group leader Elif Eralp, the Left's candidate for governing mayor. The Greens and the SPD have already approved negotiations. If the Left also agrees, talks are to begin on Monday.
The party leadership expects broad support. Eralp told the Berliner Morgenpost that the party would vote for negotiations "by a large majority" and that the socialization of large housing portfolios had been "firmly agreed". However, parts of the party are mobilizing against it, and several motions oppose an alliance with the SPD and the Greens. According to AFP, the Left's handling of antisemitism and organized crime is seen as the biggest obstacle to the coalition.
Eralp is receiving personal police protection for the conference. According to the Tagesspiegel, the State Criminal Police Office had so far seen no concrete threat to her personally, but considers a threat at the conference possible, for example from thrown paint bags or cakes. In the election on Sept. 20, the Left became the strongest party with 25.7 percent. The SPD and the Left want their members to vote on any coalition agreement.