Wahlsieg in Berlin: Linke zieht gegen Ministerin Reiche vor Gericht

The Left Party is taking legal action against Berlin's Federal Economic Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) at the Federal Constitutional Court. The urgent application, obtained by the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, stems from an Instagram video posted by the ministry after the Left Party's electoral victory in Berlin. In clips from a September 23 speech, Reiche warned that it was dangerous for the capital and Germany's investment site if a party threatened expropriation and openly practiced anti-Semitism, allegedly living it out in their program.

The Left asked Reiche to remove the video by September 29, but it remained online Sunday night. The party now seeks the same objective through a lawsuit in Karlsruhe. Specifically, the Left argues that Reiche disregarded the neutrality oath for state institutions and insulted the Left Party's right to participate equally in political competition.

She has spoken "unilaterally and part politically" in her capacity as Federal Economic Minister and is part of a CDU campaign against the Left, as stated in the lawsuit seeking an interim order. The Redaktionen Netzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported the same. Other politicians also received letters from the Left's lawyers accusing them of anti-Semitism and links to criminal gangs via social media.

Some have deleted their posts, others have not. An interim order from the Constitutional Court is necessary for the Left to prevent further damage, especially in the current phase of coalition building, according to the party. "A permanent damage could threaten the ongoing government formation in Berlin," the lawsuit reads. Discussions between the Left, Greens, and SPD in Berlin over potential foundations for a government coalition had also failed by the weekend.

The talks are expected to continue in the coming week. The Left is aiming for a red-green-red coalition. If successful, it would make Co-Fraktion President Elif Eralp the first elected female Berlin's mayor.