The Berlin Left Party is set to decide on Saturday whether to initiate coalition negotiations, with most district associations expressing support for governance despite internal debates.

The Berlin Left Party will convene on Saturday for a decisive party congress to determine whether to proceed with coalition negotiations alongside the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party. Preliminary discussions and exploratory talks have already taken place, resulting in joint declarations addressing organized crime and antisemitism. Despite internal disagreements, the majority of district associations within the Left Party are in favor of entering governance, signaling broad support for the initiative.

The decision comes amid controversy surrounding SPD Senator Franziska Giffey, who announced her withdrawal from potential coalition negotiations on Thursday. Giffey cited fundamental concerns regarding the alliance, including unresolved issues related to antisemitism, the Left Party’s stance on Islamist networks, organized crime, and alleged ties to terror supporters. Her statement followed the accidental release of an internal memo by Left Party mayoral candidate Elif Eralp, which expressed concerns about Ibrahim Ibrahim, a figure reportedly linked to terror sympathies. The memo, leaked to the media, has sparked solidarity within the Left Party for Eralp, with many members criticizing the publication of the document.

While most district associations support governance, some dissent remains. The Neukölln and Steglitz-Zehlendorf associations have submitted motions opposing the antisemitism agreement, arguing it undermines internal party democracy. This debate ties into the case of Vanessa Emde, a Neukölln Left Party member whose controversial statements on state existence led to tensions within the party. Although Emde was admitted to the parliamentary group after agreeing to abide by party resolutions, her subsequent video reaffirming earlier views has reignited discussions about her future. Rouzbeh Taheri, a Neukölln Left Party representative, acknowledged the issue would be addressed at the congress but emphasized it would not dominate proceedings.