Germany's left-wing Die Linke struggles to form coalition as anti-Israel controversy swirls

Germany's left-wing Die Linke party, which won Berlin's parliamentary elections on September 20, is struggling to form a coalition with the Social Democrats and Greens amid a series of controversies involving extreme anti-Israel statements, links between party activists and Hamas supporters and criminal clans, and a newly elected lawmaker who refuses to retract remarks questioning Israel's right to exist.

Die Linke came first in the elections to the parliament of the German capital, which is also a federal state, winning 25.7% of the vote and 45 of the 153 seats, marking a political upheaval in Berlin.

The shift is particularly striking given the position of the outgoing government. Berlin's governing mayor, Kai Wegner, of the Christian Democratic Union, stood firmly alongside Israel following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

In February 2024, he visited Israel, met with the families of hostages, and declared: "Berlin stands firmly by Israel's side, on this day and every day."

In May 2025, Wegner also signed a sister-city agreement with Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai. At the time, Wegner recalled that Berlin was the city where the Holocaust was planned and emphasized its historical responsibility to protect Jews and combat antisemitism.

The political upheaval comes against the backdrop of Germany's declared commitment to Israel's security.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz also made clear on the third anniversary of the Hamas attack, in October, that "Germany stands firmly alongside Israel," describing the protection of Israel's existence as a lesson of the Holocaust and part of German identity.

However, official support for Israel does not necessarily reflect the views of the entire German public, sections of which are sharply critical of Israel's policies in Gaza.

Anti-Israel statements spark controversy within Die Linke

One of the most prominent incidents occurred in August at an official Die Linke election event in Berlin's Neukölln district.

Rapper Dahabflex performed before party supporters, delivering a song that included the chants "Death to the IDF" and "Yalla, yalla, intifada."

Members of the audience danced and waved Palestinian flags.

The party leadership distanced itself from the statements, but the incident sparked a public outcry.

Equally serious were remarks made by Hannah Bruns, an activist in the party's Palestine solidarity group.

"The liberation of Palestine will not end when the West Bank is liberated. The liberation of Palestine will end when Tel Aviv is returned to Palestine," she declared at a demonstration.

Asked in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD whether she would distance herself from the October 7 massacre, she replied: "I will not distance myself from anything."

An application to expel Bruns from the party has been submitted. She rejects the allegations against her and presents her position as support for a single state in which Israelis and Palestinians would live together.

In June, Bavarian public broadcaster BR revealed internal correspondence within Die Linke's youth movement.

One message featured the slogan "May Israel die!" alongside an image of a burning Israeli flag.

Other activists questioned the characterization of Hamas as an Islamist organization and compared Israel to Nazi Germany.

The party leadership condemned the statements.

Die Linke lawmaker refuses to retract remarks on Israel's right to exist

The controversy deepened with the case of Vanessa Emde, a newly elected Die Linke member of Berlin's parliament representing Neukölln.

Emde challenged the demand to recognize Israel's right to exist, declaring: "States do not have a right to exist. Human beings have a right to exist."

Although she subsequently signed a party declaration recognizing Israel's right to exist, she published a video in which she clarified: "I stand by what I said and do not retract a single statement."

The party leadership demanded that she give up her parliamentary seat, but she refused.

Her expulsion from the parliamentary faction is now under consideration, a move requiring a two-thirds majority.

According to reports in Germany, the Social Democrats and Greens have made her removal from the faction a condition for forming the coalition.

Another controversy involves Die Linke's candidate for Berlin's governing mayor, Elif Eralp.

Internal comments revealed following an interview with Der Spiegel showed that she feared activists associated with Ibrahim Ibrahim, who has been linked to anti-Israel protests and supporters of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

"I cannot put myself and my family in danger," she wrote.

Ibrahim, whose past statements praising Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had been publicized, attended the party's election victory celebration.

Eralp subsequently made clear that she would not give in to threats and would fight terrorism.

Criminal clan connections raise further questions

Also present at the victory celebration was Issa Remmo, regarded as the head of a clan whose members have been convicted of serious robberies, including the theft of a giant gold coin from a Berlin museum.

Die Linke Bundestag member Ferat Koçak became embroiled in controversy after friendly correspondence between him and Remmo's son was exposed.

Koçak apologized for his conduct and resigned from his position on the Bundestag's Interior Committee.

The party denies having organizational ties to organized crime.

The disputes have already directly affected efforts to form a government.

In October, exploratory talks between Die Linke, the Greens, and the Social Democrats were suspended. They resumed only after the parties agreed on a document committing them to combat antisemitism and recognize Israel's right to exist.

In September, 44 former senior Social Democratic officials also signed a statement opposing cooperation with Die Linke, warning against crossing red lines concerning antisemitism and terrorism.

Despite the crisis, formal coalition negotiations began on November 2.

Together, the three parties hold 91 seats and intend to finalize an agreement in early January.

Alongside the disputes over Israel, the negotiations must also address housing, the budget, and internal security.

'The Middle East conflict has long since reached the heart of Berlin'

"The conflict in the Middle East has long since reached the heart of Berlin," Alon David, a journalist who divides his time between Israel and Germany, told Walla in an interview from Berlin.

"In Neukölln, you can see just how deeply hatred of Israel and antisemitism have taken root in parts of society. What is particularly worrying is that parts of the political Left not only allow this phenomenon to continue, but even legitimize it through one-sided identification with the Palestinians. Anyone who disguises hatred of Israel as anti-colonialism and ignores the fears of Jews has, in effect, long since abandoned the fight against antisemitism."

Die Linke itself emphasizes that it condemns antisemitism and Hamas and recognizes Israel's right to exist, even as it accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

The party's electoral success is largely attributed to Berlin's housing crisis and high rental costs, rather than necessarily to its positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The party now faces a critical test: whether it can rein in the radical elements within its ranks and win the trust of its prospective coalition partners, or whether the controversy surrounding Israel will become the obstacle that prevents it from taking power in Germany's capital.