The ongoing reports by Spiegel regarding the anxieties experienced by Elif Eralp, the joint candidate for the Berlin Left party, concerning sympathizers of terror, continue to generate public debate. Karl Lauterbach, former Federal Minister of Health and a member of the SPD, stated to Spiegel that he no longer views Eralp as a viable candidate for the Governorship of Berlin. Lauterbach recommended to his party that it distance itself from the alliance with the Left party in Berlin. While he acknowledged that an aspiring politician should not be criticized for having personal fears of risk, he added that if he personally felt threatened, he would rule out seeking such an office. He emphasized that anyone representing the state government must not be afraid of people who threaten that state and its authority.
The SPD politician further demanded that Berlin politics must demonstrate a stronger commitment to tackling extremist and criminal structures within the city. Lauterbach commented that the city cannot be in a position where it is afraid of the very people it is obligated to protect its citizens from.
In contrast, Felix Banaszak, the leader of the Greens, expressed deep sympathy for Eralp. Banaszak told Spiegel that it is “shocking” that Elif Eralp, as a potential future Governor, must be so fearful of extremists and organized crime that she cannot specify in an interview who poses the danger. He stressed that no one should be put into a situation where they cannot express themselves freely because of concern for their own or their family’s safety.
Nonetheless, Banaszak also asserted that the Left party has a duty to suppress radical tendencies within its own ranks. He stated to Spiegel that at this point, nobody should minimize the danger posed by these structures. In order to genuinely and effectively engage in this “struggle,” the party must be clear and consistent, even regarding the connections these groups have to the party itself. According to the Green leader, the Berlin Left has yet to answer any of the outstanding questions on this matter, finding the Left’s handling of this complex situation to be “disappointing.”
