Germany’s Central Council of Jews has urged the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens not to enable Die Linke to form a government in Berlin, following the party’s victory in the 2026 Berlin elections.
Dr Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, expressed deep concern over what he described as repeated antisemitic transgressions during Die Linke’s election campaign.
“During the election campaign, Die Linke repeatedly attracted attention through antisemitic breaches of the red lines,” Schuster said. He referred in particular to an incident at an election campaign event where calls were made for an intifada and the death of Israeli soldiers, while members of the audience reportedly sang and danced along.
Schuster said he was “deeply concerned” that a party whose election campaign stage had been used for openly calling for the death of people had emerged as the winner of the election. He also criticised the absence, in his view, of political or personnel consequences following the incident.
According to Schuster, statements by Die Linke rejecting antisemitism were no longer credible. He accused the party of tolerating antisemitism within its ranks and argued that it had lost credibility in combating hatred of Jews.
“I appeal to the SPD and Greens not to help this party into the Red Town Hall,” Schuster said. He warned that crossing the red lines drawn before the election would be “a serious mistake” that could further contribute to the normalisation of antisemitism.
Die Linke emerged as the strongest party in the Berlin election but would require coalition partners to form a government. A coalition with the SPD and Greens is therefore one of the options under discussion.
Schuster’s intervention comes amid wider scrutiny of Die Linke’s Berlin branch over its positions on antisemitism and the Middle East conflict.
The formation of Berlin’s next government is expected to be closely watched by Jewish organisations, particularly in relation to antisemitism, Jewish security and the conditions for Jewish life in the German capital.
