Merz urges SPD and Greens in Berlin not to form coalition with the Left

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) urged the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens on 7 October not to form a coalition with the Left in Berlin, according to Der Spiegel and Die Welt. Speaking at the "Deutschland-Gipfel" event held by Handelsblatt and WirtschaftsWoche in Berlin, Merz said CDU, Greens and SPD also hold a majority in the Berlin Abgeordnetenhaus, the city-state parliament. He appealed to the "political centre" to "live up to its responsibility" and use the existing majority to prevent a governing mayor from the Left in the capital, Die Welt reported.

Merz said his warning about a red-red-green alliance (the Left, SPD and Greens) in the capital was "very serious" and added: "I cannot imagine it," according to both outlets. Der Spiegel headlined that Merz "demanded" that SPD and Greens not form a coalition with the Left; Die Welt headlined that he warned against red-red-green and "brought a coalition with the CDU into play." Die Welt reported that Merz also raised his own party as a possible coalition partner.

Merz linked his remarks to 7 October, saying: "Just today, on 7 October, we commemorate the terrible terror attack against Israel," Der Spiegel reported. He added: "We affirm Israel's right to exist, and that is unshakeable — we oppose growing antisemitism in Germany." Die Welt described the date as the third anniversary of the Hamas "major attack" on Israel. Merz asked whether "these non-negotiable principles of our community" should "seriously be negotiated" for a government alliance "in the middle of our capital," and said he was "lost for words," Die Welt reported.

In the Berlin Abgeordnetenhaus election on 20 September, the Left became the strongest force with 25.7 percent, Der Spiegel reported. Die Welt reported that the Left's lead candidate, Elif Eralp, announced afterwards that she was aiming for a government with the Greens and the SPD. Der Spiegel reported that Left, Greens and SPD planned a third preliminary talk on Wednesday, with the stated aim of reaching agreement on antisemitism, racism and organised crime. Die Welt reported that a decision on exploratory talks could come on Wednesday, but that a public statement was expected on Thursday because of the anniversary.

On Tuesday, dozens of people from politics and civil society warned against a coalition with the Left in a "Berliner Appell für Verantwortung," Der Spiegel reported, citing the Tagesspiegel. Among around 80 initial signatories were former Bundestag president Wolfgang Thierse (SPD), former foreign minister Joschka Fischer (Greens) and former chancellery chief Peter Altmaier (CDU), Der Spiegel reported. The document was published by co-initiator Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Society, and was also signed by representatives of the Jewish community, former Stasi records commissioner Marianne Birthler, former SPD state leader Martin Hikel and several former city senators, according to Der Spiegel.

CDU politician Johannes Volkmann criticised the plans of SPD and Greens in Berlin to hold exploratory talks with the Left, Die Welt reported. He said it would be "really a cultural break" (Kulturbruch) if the party of "Yalla Yalla Intifada" were to receive the keys to the Rotes Rathaus, the Berlin city hall, according to the outlet.