Radical Die Linke figures could steer Berlin's government after historic win

Die Linke achieved its best result ever in the Berlin parliamentary election, positioning the party to head the city government and fill numerous district mayor posts. Party leader Elif Eralp, while relatively restrained during the campaign, supports the socialisation of major housing companies and a blanket ban on deportations, including for foreign offenders. Deputy chair Martha Kleedörfer, who secured a direct seat in the Weddinger constituency, has previously labelled an Israeli mayor a "fascist" and called for the Israeli flag to be taken down at the city hall.

In Neukölln, where the party topped the vote, lawyer Ahmed Abed, who called an Israeli partner-city mayor a "genocidal murderer," is set to join the district council alongside activists like Basem Said, who urged a "wahlintifada" and criticised other parties for supporting Israel. Co-chair Jorinde Schulz has advocated cutting police funding and defended radical activist Hannah Bruns. These figures illustrate the party’s shift toward more extreme positions as it prepares to govern.