Berlin Left Party debates possible expulsion of deputy over Israel stance
The Berlin Left parliamentary group is considering expelling member Vanessa Emde after she reiterated controversial views on Israel and Palestine in a recent video.
The Berlin Left parliamentary group convened online to decide the future of deputy Vanessa Emde, whose campaign emphasized solidarity with Palestine and included the claim that only people, not states, possess a right to exist. After posting an Instagram video restating this position, Emde said she would not retract any of her statements and also denounced an anti-antisemitism declaration that affirmed Israel’s right to exist, which she had previously signed along with other faction members.
The faction’s executive announced that it no longer has grounds for working with her, opening the possibility of her removal from the group. Meanwhile, the Greens and SPD are preparing to start coalition talks with the Left, pending a party congress on 31 October, with negotiations potentially beginning in early November. The broader debate over antisemitism within the Left has complicated these coalition discussions.
Why it matters
The outcome will affect the Left's internal unity and its ability to join a governing coalition in Berlin.
How this story developed
- Oct 1 Antisemitism Gains Ground Across the Political Spectrum in the United States
- Oct 6 Hapoel Ironi Kirjat Schmona now hosts home games in Netanja after security threats displaced the club, while fans and officials grapple with lasting trauma from the 2023 war.
- Oct 12 Be’eri began installing upgraded safe‑room doors and smoke‑removal systems.
- Oct 19 Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” tour sold out quickly, creating a new cultural flashpoint.
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