The Vice Mayor of Berlin and Senator for Economic Affairs, Franziska Giffey, has stated that the SPD’s potential entry into a red-red-green coalition must be decided by a vote of the party members. Speaking to Die Zeit, the SPD politician emphasized that once coalition negotiations are concluded, the party must confront the decision of whether or not it wishes to proceed down that path, characterizing it as a profoundly important directional choice. “I am of the opinion that this decision must be made through a member vote of the party base,” Giffey asserted.
During the interview, Giffey sharply criticized the three parties’ joint policy paper, also alleging a connection between the Left Party and organized crime. She found it troubling that three weeks were required to discuss how both antisemitism and organized crime would be addressed prior to substantive negotiations, citing serious ongoing incidents related to both issues. “In my view, the uncertainties are not completely removed,” she commented.
Giffey pointed out that the Left Party’s electoral success is largely attributable to its strong stance “against Israel and for Palestine.” “I know that in the mosques of Neukölln, the statement was made that the only viable party for us is the Left, because it is clearly against Israel and for Palestine. The Left campaigned on this, and these positions have gained significance within the party,” she added.
The former Mayor stressed that she finds the Left’s attempts at distancing itself unconvincing. “Maybe it is all a huge misunderstanding, but I cannot truly imagine it. I know Neukölln; I worked there for 16 years. There is this proximity. Members of organized crime even insist on it, they have made this clear publicly more than once. They want to show where they gain profits and what their claims are,” Giffey stated.
