Prominent German politicians urge SPD and Greens to reject Berlin coalition with Die Linke
A cross-party group of 81 public figures published an appeal urging Berlin's SPD and Greens to abandon coalition talks with election winner Die Linke in favor of a government with the CDU.
Cross-party appeal against left-led government
Following the 20 September state election in which Die Linke placed first with 25.7% of the vote, 81 political figures and civil society representatives published the Berlin Appeal for Responsibility on Tuesday. The document calls on the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Alliance 90/The Greens to halt negotiations with Die Linke and instead explore a tripartite government with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Co-initiated by German-Israeli Society president Volker Beck, the signatories include former federal foreign minister Joschka Fischer of the Greens, former Bundestag president Wolfgang Thierse of the SPD, and former federal economy minister Peter Altmaier of the CDU. Prominent representatives of the Jewish Community, former Stasi Records commissioner Marianne Birthler, and former Berlin SPD state leader Martin Hikel also endorsed the declaration. The signatories argue that governing coalitions should not follow political habit, but clear democratic standards.
A governing majority must be sought that reflects the interests of the broadest possible segments of society and shares core convictions on the rule of law and democracy. We do not see this in a red-green-red government.
Security, financial stability, and extremism concerns
The appeal focuses heavily on the protection of Jewish life in Berlin and demands unambiguous demarcation against political extremism. Signatories express direct apprehension that a Senate led by Die Linke would foster an environment where Jewish security in the capital cannot be guaranteed. The initiative also raises objections to signature policy platforms of Die Linke, such as the proposed expropriation and nationalization of more than 240,000 corporate apartments, estimated to cost over 40 billion euros. Furthermore, the signatories warn against proposals to weaken the police or abolish the state intelligence service (Verfassungsschutz), stating that unfinanceable promises risk disillusioning voters and strengthening right-wing populism. They demand that any future government commit to stable municipal finances, robust security agencies, affordable housing, and administrative reform.
- Die Linke places first in the Berlin state election with 25.7% of the vote.
- 81 cross-party figures publish the Berlin Appeal as the CSU warns of a federal coalition breach.
- Die Linke, Greens, and SPD schedule a third exploratory meeting on antisemitism and crime.
Federal coalition tensions and upcoming talks
Pressure on the Berlin SPD expanded simultaneously at the federal level, where CSU parliamentary group leader Alexander Hoffmann warned that entering a state coalition with Die Linke would breach the federal CDU/CSU-SPD coalition agreement. Hoffmann cited clause commitments barring cooperation at all political levels with parties hostile to the constitution or democracy, comparing it to the CDU federal leadership's strict ban on working with the Alternative for Germany (AfD). He directly criticized Die Linke lead candidate Elif Eralp, who aims to become Governing Mayor, for failing to address antisemitism within party ranks. Eralp and Die Linke previously filed lawsuits against Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, and Baden-Württemberg Interior Minister Manuel Hagel over similar antisemitism allegations. Despite the mounting cross-party resistance, Berlin negotiation teams from Die Linke, the Greens, and the SPD plan to meet on Wednesday for a third round of exploratory talks dedicated to antisemitism, racism, and organized crime.
