Twenty members of the SPD Bundestag group have issued a joint statement strongly opposing the initiation of coalition negotiations with the Berlin Left Party. The statement emphasizes that their “compass of values is non-negotiable.”
The SPD parliamentarians cite recurring conflicts related to anti-Semitism within the Berlin branch of the Left Party, along with documented connections to the Remmo circle and figures from extremist environments. They argue that these issues give them significant doubts about the political reliability of the Berlin chapter.
The signatories, which include the group’s internal political spokesperson Sebastian Fiedler and the digital political spokesperson Johannes Schätzl, also involved interior policy politicians Daniel Baldy, Helge Lindh, and Ingo Vogel, as well as leading representatives from various factions. Support for the declaration comes from figures such as Esra Limbacher and Claudia Moll from the Seeheim circle, Lina Seitzl and Markus Töns from the Berlin network, and veteran interior minister Nancy Faeser, alongside parliamentary state secretary Johann Saathoff of the Development Ministry.
The SPD members stressed that anti-Semitism is not a peripheral problem that can be resolved merely with a joint declaration. The protection of Jewish life is considered non-negotiable. Furthermore, they cautioned that the mere suggestion that individuals linked to organized crime or terrorist organizations might gain political access damages trust and underscores the critical need for backing security and police authorities.
While the signatories acknowledged that the Berlin chapter ultimately has the decision-making authority, they simultaneously highlighted its responsibility towards the credibility of shared social democratic principles. Therefore, they concluded by stating that under the current circumstances, they firmly object to entering into coalition talks with the Berlin Left.
