Berlin, October 7th, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – Three years ago today, the Palestinian terror organization Hamas and Islamic Jihad committed the worst pogrom against Jews since Nazi Germany was finally defeated by the Allies in 1945. They shot dancing Israelis at a festival, raped many of them beforehand, burned entire families alive, shot thousands of missiles into Israel and abducted 251 people, many of whom they murdered as well, including toddlers.
Within the extremist far-left “Die Linke” in Berlin, support for this kind of terrorism, whenever it targets Jews, is strong. Before and after the recent state elections in Berlin, several antisemitism scandals have surfaced, which is why the party’s denials do not look too credible. Also, there are pretty obvious signs some “Die Linke” members might not really support the Federal Republic of Germany’s free democratic basic order, which is the inviolable core of German constitutional law.
Elif Eralp, the main candidate for “Die Linke”, who wants to become Governing Mayor of Berlin, was part of the organization “Rote Hilfe”, which the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified as left-wing extremist. Eralp, a lawyer with Turkish roots, became a member many years ago during her studies in Hamburg. When she became a candidate in Berlin, she quit. Why would she suddenly leave the “Rote Hilfe”? Maybe because she did not want to be regarded as an extremist?
Direct Calls
Before this news broke, members of “Die Linke” in Berlin danced to a rapper who praised the Intifada (terror waves against Israelis during which many have been murdered) and called for “death to the IDF”. At a working group meeting the party organized, direct calls for supporting the Palestinian terrorism were voiced.
In an interview with a Turkish journalist, Elif Eralp herself said Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was guilty of war crimes, even though the International Criminal Court has only charged him. Eralp basically convicted him, as a candidate for mayor in Berlin. Apart from the fact that the ICC’s charge is absurd, when we take into account the facts on the ground in Gaza, Eralp’s statement clearly shows where she stands towards the only democracy in the Middle East and only Jewish state in the world.
The claim about clear antisemitic tendencies within “Die Linke” was not exactly refuted when an activist hostile to Israel appeared at the party’s election festivities in order to celebrate its election victory. This individual is being linked to the Palestinian terror organization PFLP. At the same event, members of partially criminal family clans from Lebanon and Gaza were seen. Any questions on that?
Democracy Itself
In spite of all of the above, and even though “Die Linke” intend to weaken the Berlin police and get rid of the Berlin Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the authority that looks into extremism, the center-left SPD and the leftish Greens are actually part of talks with “Die Linke” right now. They are trying to establish whether they can start negotiations on forming a coalition with them.
The answer to this question can only be a clear no. Steffen Krach of the SPD and the Green candidate Werner Graf need to reject even the idea of cooperating with them. They owe it to Berlin’s Jews, who are obviously worried, but also to the rest of the city and to democracy itself.
Each of the scandals mentioned is a knock-out criterion on its own. The same applies to the partially anti-democratic positions “Die Linke” are advocating. They want to abolish the one institution that protects us from extremists like them, and you talk to them? Come on! Call Mr. Evers of the center-right CDU, call for new elections or do whatever you see fit, but don’t form any coalition with these people. They are as dangerous as the AfD you will not work with – and rightly so. Don’t drop your principles for extremists on the other end of the political spectrum. The fact that walking away from the talks does not seem to be self-evident to you is a scandal in itself.
