Berlin coalition talks to resume after antisemitism dispute

BERLIN

Berlin’s Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Left Party agreed on Oct. 14 to resume preliminary coalition talks after a dispute over commitments to combat antisemitism briefly halted discussions.

Left Party mayoral candidate Elif Eralp said talks would continue on Oct. 15.

The parties reaffirmed their joint commitments against antisemitism and agreed to include them in any coalition agreement.

“The misunderstandings between us have been cleared up,” Eralp said.

The SPD and Greens suspended talks on Oct. 13 after the Left Party admitted Neukölln lawmaker Vanessa Emde to its parliamentary group and adopted its own declaration on antisemitism. Emde has faced criticism over her comments on Israel.

All 44 lawmakers present at the group’s inaugural meeting, including Emde, signed the declaration affirming Israel’s right to exist and pledging to combat antisemitism.

However, the text cited Left Party congress resolutions rather than the agreement reached by the three parties the previous week.

That agreement includes possible sanctions, up to expulsion from parliamentary groups, over antisemitic incidents.

The SPD and Greens had sought assurances that their shared commitments remained binding.

Left Party parliamentary co-leader Tobias Schulze maintained that the earlier agreement still applied.

The Left Party won Berlin’s Sept. 20 state election with 25.7 percent of the vote.

Eralp is seeking to become the city’s first governing mayor of Turkish origin through a coalition with the SPD and Greens.

A Left Party congress will decide whether to enter formal coalition negotiations once the preliminary talks conclude.