"Death to the IDF; Tel Aviv will return to Palestine": The party that won the elections in Berlin struggles to form a government
The left-wing party Die Linke won the Berlin elections with 25.7% of the vote, but is struggling to form a coalition due to extreme anti-Israel statements by activists and elected officials, ties to Hamas supporters and criminal clans, and a parliament member who refuses to retract her challenge to Israel's right to exist.
The left-wing party Die Linke won the Berlin state parliament elections on September 20, 2026, with 25.7% of the vote and 45 seats out of 153, but is struggling to form a coalition with the Social Democrats and the Greens due to a series of incidents related to Israel. At an official party election event in August, a rapper performed who chanted 'Death to the IDF' and 'Yalla Intifada', and the crowd waved Palestinian flags. An activist named Hanna Bruns declared that 'the liberation of Palestine will end when Tel Aviv returns to Palestinian hands' and refused to distance herself from the October 7 massacre. A new parliament member, Vanessa Amade, challenged Israel's right to exist and refused to retract her statements, despite a demand from the party leadership. Additionally, ties were revealed between activists and Hamas supporters and criminal clans. Coalition negotiations officially opened on November 2, and the parties intend to finalize the agreement by early January. The party emphasizes that it condemns antisemitism and recognizes Israel's right to exist.