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Berlin Left Confirms Elif Eralp as 2026 Lead Candidate, Adopts Gaza Compromise

Party leaders prioritized unity to safeguard 2026 prospects despite protests and internal dissent.

Overview

  • About 175 delegates in Berlin endorsed Elif Eralp by acclamation, launching a campaign centered on affordable housing, enforcement of the Deutsche Wohnen & Co. referendum and rent controls for public housing.
  • A compromise motion on Gaza and antisemitism passed, urging solidarity with both Palestinians and Jewish communities as sharper BDS and ‘genocide’ motions were withdrawn.
  • A small protest by the Gruppe gegen Antisemitismus Berlin gathered outside the venue, and veteran Left politician Petra Pau publicly pressed the party to state a clear stance against antisemitism.
  • Federal co-chair Ines Schwerdtner called for party cohesion, saying Jewish life must be protected and repression of pro‑Palestinian activism should end.
  • In a parallel move, the Left in Saxony‑Anhalt nominated Eva von Angern for the 2026 Landtag race with a social policy platform opposing AfD influence, with the candidate list to be finalized in March 2026.