Die Linke wins Berlin state election as housing dispute complicates coalition talks

Election outcome and shift in power

Die Linke finished first in the Berlin state election on 20 September 2026, securing between 25.3% and 25.4% of the vote according to projections. The result placed the party nearly ten percentage points above its previous best performance in 2016. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) took second place with 19.1% to 19.4% of the ballots. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) finished third with preliminary results of 16.3%, increasing from 9.1% in the 2023 election. The Greens received 14.3%, down from 18.4% in 2023, while the Social Democratic Party (SPD) fell to fifth place with 11.8% to 12.1%, down from 18.4% in 2023. Lead candidate Elif Eralp announced her intention to head the Berlin Senate.

I want to become Governing Mayor for Berlin so that the people in our city have a better life again.

Housing expropriation as a coalition obstacle

Forming a governing coalition requires Die Linke to negotiate an agreement with the Greens and the SPD. A primary point of contention in prospective negotiations is the socialization of large private housing companies. Die Linke bases this policy on a 2021 referendum in which voters approved transferring approximately 220,000 corporate rental apartments into municipal ownership against compensation to curb rising rents. Green party leaders Nina Stahr, Philmon Ghirmai, and lead candidate Werner Graf expressed support for the measure, stating that the incoming administration has a mandate to implement the 2021 referendum result. Federal party leadership also affirmed that socialization remains a central requirement for entering government.

We said that we want to socialize, and we are sticking to that.

SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach maintained his rejection of the socialization proposal, stating during the campaign that the measure is neither legally nor financially feasible. Krach also indicated that he does not consider Die Linke to be the only party with a governing mandate, stating that the mandate also rests with the CDU.

Coalition timeline and party reactions

Tobias Schulze, the parliamentary group leader for Die Linke, proposed completing coalition negotiations by Christmas 2026 rather than allowing talks to extend into the holiday break. Schulze suggested focusing on core compromise points rather than drafting an extensive agreement. All parliamentary parties excluded the possibility of forming a coalition with the AfD, whose campaign was led by Kristin Brinker.

Former Governing Mayor Michael Müller, who led an SPD-led coalition with Die Linke and the Greens between 2016 and 2023, voiced reservations regarding the constellation, citing a lack of parliamentary experience among Linke legislators. Berlin Economic Affairs Senator Franziska Giffey failed to secure a direct mandate in the Neukölln district of Rudow, ending her tenure in the Abgeordnetenhaus. Giffey stated that Die Linke represents the clear winner and holds the responsibility to invite potential partners to exploratory discussions.

Exploratory talks and political controversies

CDU representative Stefan Evers announced that his party would conduct discussions with other factions in the coming days, though he stopped short of describing them as formal exploratory sessions. Die Linke also faces internal debate regarding a late August 2026 event where a performer sang controversial lyrics referencing an intifada and the Israeli military in Gaza. Preliminary discussions among party leaderships will determine whether policy differences over housing and fiscal commitments can be resolved to form a progressive government.