Overview
- Party leader Jan van Aken said Die Linke would not enter a coalition or even a formal toleration arrangement, but could support individual measures if some of its demands are met.
- He described the approach as constructive opposition, pointing to similar issue-by-issue cooperation seen in Thuringia and Saxony.
- Van Aken framed the stance as a bulwark against an AfD-led government gaining control over state institutions such as police and the judiciary.
- The move highlights tension with the CDU’s 2018 incompatibility resolution that formally forbids cooperation with Die Linke, despite practical case-by-case collaboration in past votes.
- With Saxony-Anhalt voting on September 6, 2026 and polls showing the AfD ahead there and in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Die Linke is also targeting new entries into Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate and seeking to lead in Berlin.