Berlin, October 30th, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – Elif Eralp, the floor leader for “Die Linke” (“The Left”) in the Berlin House of Representatives and its candidate for Governing Mayor, is under pressure after the “Spiegel” published internal notes she had mistakenly sent along with an interview document. According to the news magazine, the 45-year-old politician wrote she feared consequences if she named individuals from a Hamas-friendly milieu.
In the notes, Eralp reportedly wrote about herself and her husband: “He is afraid of these people and so am I”. Elsewhere she is said to have written: “I can’t endanger myself and my family for the ‘Spiegel’”. She also reportedly regretted having agreed to the interview.
At issue is Ibrahim Ibrahim, whose name was raised in the interview. He has called the slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar a “martyr hero”. Ibrahim holds a leading position in the United Palestinian National Committee, which Berlin’s domestic intelligence agency classifies as extremist and which is reportedly linked to the Palestinian terror organization PFLP.
Insults and Threats
According to the “Spiegel”, a spokesman for Eralp said she has faced insults, threats, and hostility every day for months. Security authorities had advised her not to name individuals when it comes to alleged ties to organized crime or terrorist structures. In her notes, she reportedly referred to an earlier recommendation by the State Criminal Police Office (LKA): “The LKA said back then that they recommend never naming specific names. Back then it was about organized crime. Now it’s about people with contacts to Hamas.”
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The controversy extends beyond her personal safety. After the election, Ibrahim attended a Left Party election party in Neukölln and was photographed with both Bundestag member Ferat Koçak and the Left’s representative Vanessa Emde. Koçak said he did not know Ibrahim, even though numerous photos and joint appearances of the two exist.
Eralp addressed the matter at a press conference in the House of Representatives on Thursday. She declined to comment on the “Spiegel” interview, saying it concerns her private life. Instead, she pledged to protect Berliners. “What I can say very clearly is that I will ensure the safety of all Berliners”, she stated. This applied to “not only social security but also individual security”. She announced she would take on organized crime and terrorism “with all means”, including people who glorified violence.
“It Is Not Too Late”
Asked how she could guarantee citizens’ safety if she herself fears terror sympathizers, Elif Eralp replied: “I have made it very clear that I will not be intimidated by anyone”.
Criticism came quickly from the CDU. Burkard Dregger, the party’s security expert, said anyone who gets involved with Hamas criminals and their henchmen should not be surprised if they demand a price for supporting a campaign.
Finance Senator Stefan Evers, the CDU’s lead candidate in the September election, asked: “How is Elif Eralp supposed to guarantee the security of millions of people as governing mayor if she herself is afraid of the Islamist environment of her party?” He urged the SPD and the Greens to draw consequences, saying it was not too late.
