Wahlen: Berliner SPD will mit Linken über Regierungsbildung sprechen

The Berliner SPD is willing to discuss potential government cooperation with the Left. The party's central committee unanimously agreed to accept the invitation from the Left to hold exploratory talks, the Social Democrats announced at the end of the day. The exploratory team is set to include up to five individuals, among them are the two Landesvorsitzenden Bettina König and Steffen Krach, as well as Derya Caglar for the group.

Additional members could join depending on the topics discussed, up to two more members of the de facto Landesvorstand or other party experts. The Left emerged as the strongest force after the previous Sunday's Berlin state election, securing 25.7 percent of the vote. A party conference had decided by a broad majority to invite the Greens and SPD to explore a possible red-green-red coalition.

The Left aims to have their party leader Elif Eralp become the first female mayor of Berlin. The SPD finished in fifth place in the election. Exploratory talks are not yet coalition negotiations. At the first talks, the participants will decide which points are most important for them and whether coalition negotiations would be successful.

"There are indeed very high hurdles," Krach emphasized before the Left party conference. "It is true that the last few days were not entirely confidence-building." The Berlin Left is criticized, among other things, for controversial positions on the Middle East conflict. The party leadership had rejected accusations of antisemitism.

Krach also stated that he would talk to the CDU if it invited them. The Greens want to decide on the entry into coalition negotiations at a small party conference after successful exploratory talks.