Can ‘Berlin’s Mamdani’ convince Jewish Berliners to trust the Left?
Concerns about antisemitism have emerged as a sticking point in coalition talks that could make Elif Eralp Berlin’s next mayor.
Elif Eralp, a leading figure in Germany's far-left Die Linke party, is in the running to become Berlin's next mayor. Her campaign has focused on issues such as rent caps, publicly-owned housing and socialization of corporate landlords. However, concerns about antisemitism have emerged as a major hurdle in coalition talks. The surge in antisemitism following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the Gaza war has made the situation particularly tense in Berlin, a city with a dark history of Nazi activities during World War II.
The Left Party, which narrowly won 26% of the vote in Berlin's recent election, has been accused of harboring antisemitic views. Elif Eralp, the party's lead candidate, acknowledges the existence of troubling incidents among her supporters and has pledged to combat antisemitism. However, the formation of a coalition government will require her to work with center-left parties such as the Social Democrats and the Greens, who have also demanded action against antisemitism.
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