The Berlin Left is taking legal action against Interior Minister Manuel Hagel

The Berlin Left is taking legal action against Interior Minister Manuel Hagel (CDU). A law firm sent the CDU politician a so-called cease and desist declaration. The letter is available to the German Press Agency. Hagel should therefore undertake not to repeat certain statements in his role as Interior Minister. If this does not happen, the Left reserves the right to take further legal action.

The Interior Minister will not sign this letter, people close to Hagel told the German Press Agency.

After the left's electoral success in the capital, Hagel had offered Berlin police officers to move to the southwest - and associated the top candidate Elif Eralp with criminal clans: "The Berlin police are too good for a left-wing clan mayor who wants to take away their resources and powers. Here in Baden-Württemberg we know what we have in our police officers," he said.

Because he made these statements in his role as Interior Minister, he violated the right to equal opportunities in political competition, the lawyer's letter says. State organs are also obliged to maintain neutrality in the political competition between parties. The Berlin regional association is also taking action against other politicians who have accused the party of anti-Semitism and proximity to criminal clans via social media.

The Left was by far the strongest force in the Berlin election on September 20th, wants to forge a coalition with the Greens and the SPD and nominate its top candidate Elif Eralp as the governing mayor. In its election manifesto, the party announced that it wanted to stop further “upgrading” of the police and redistribute the resources, for example in street social work.