Germany’s Left Party Secures a Historic Victory in Berlin

In a massive political shift for the German capital, the Left Party (Die Linke) achieved a historic victory in Berlin’s Sunday elections. According to exit polls, this significant surge positions the party’s 45-year-old lead candidate, Elif Eralp, as the strongest and most likely contender to become the next Mayor of Berlin.

Based on preliminary results, Die Linke secured nearly 25% of the vote. This dealt a painful blow to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which was pushed back to second place with approximately 20% of the vote. Die Linke’s victory is viewed as an unprecedented event in the capital’s history, completely redrawing the city’s political map.

Eralp, the daughter of an immigrant family, positioned herself during the campaign as a primary bulwark against the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Prior to the vote, she clarified that electing someone with an immigrant background to the highest office in Berlin would send a decisive and powerful message for social coexistence. Following the announcement of the results, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of her supporters, Eralp declared that love and social justice had triumphed over hatred and marginalization in Berlin.

Political observers compare Eralp’s political standing and her efforts to reduce class disparity with Zohran Mamdani, the Mayor of New York. Eralp herself has previously described Mamdani’s success in the heart of a capitalist system as a monumental achievement and an inspiring example for leftist movements worldwide.

In terms of projects and agenda, the Left Party relied heavily on the demands of low-income citizens during this election. The party promised radical steps to curb skyrocketing housing rents, most notably making the controversial pledge to expropriate and nationalize apartments owned by giant real estate corporations.

Despite her victory, Eralp will face several tough hurdles to secure the mayoral seat. She will need to form a tripartite coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party, known as a Red-Red-Green coalition. The first obstacle to this alliance is the opposition of Steffen Krach, the lead candidate for the SPD, who completely rejects the idea of expropriating apartments.

Beyond domestic issues, the Left Party holds deep disagreements with mainstream parties regarding foreign and security policy. Die Linke actively calls for Germany’s withdrawal from NATO and has voiced its opposition to providing military aid to Ukraine. Simultaneously, statements and stances made by some local branches of the party regarding Israel have sparked major backlash. An incident last August in the Neukölln neighborhood—where a party election rally featured calls for an uprising and opposition against the Israeli military—triggered a wave of criticism from other parties. The media subsequently raised questions about whether Die Linke is a suitable partner for governing. Eralp later attempted to distance herself from those remarks, emphasizing her commitment to protecting the lives and safety of Jewish citizens in Berlin.

Elif Eralp’s roots lie in a deeply leftist family. Her parents were persecuted in Turkey due to their political activities within socialist movements and trade unions. In 1980, coinciding with the military coup in Turkey, they fled to Germany while her mother was eight months pregnant with Eralp.

Born in Munich, Eralp earned her law degree in Hamburg and spent many years working as a lawyer defending the rights of immigrants. Her formal entry into Berlin’s political sphere began in 2010 when she became a staff member for the Die Linke parliamentary group in the Bundestag, leading to her permanent relocation to the capital. Currently, Eralp lives in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood with her husband and two children. Serving as a symbol of her closeness to the poor and middle class, she frequently points out that her family does not own a home and, like the vast majority of Berliners, they live as renters.