Berlin SPD plans member survey about coalition - left-wing youth supports Koçak

In addition to the Left and the Greens, the Berlin SPD is now also planning a member survey about a possible red-green-red coalition agreement. This was reported from party circles. The “Tagesspiegel” first reported in its “Checkpoint” newsletter. The project is to be discussed and initiated in the next few days, first in the executive state executive board of the SPD, then in the state executive board as an expanded leadership body.

The party's ranks had recently called for such an involvement of the party base. Among others, Senator for Economic Affairs and former party leader Franziska Giffey and the former President of the Bundestag Wolfgang Thierse (SPD) campaigned for this. Both are opposed to a red-green-red coalition. As early as 2023, the Berlin SPD conducted a member survey about the then black-red coalition, and then in 2024 one about the new party leadership.

As the “Tagesspiegel” further reports, the youth organization of the Left is also planning resolutions at its upcoming party conference that could spark discussions. The article is quoted from proposals that are to be voted on at the Federal Congress taking place from November 6th to 8th, 2026.

Accordingly, the Berlin Left Youth wants, for example, to abolish the ban on national flags at left-wing events. The criticism goes that symbols of states such as Germany, Israel or the USA are equated with flags of “anti-imperialist and anti-colonial liberation struggles”. Specifically, it should be about allowing Palestine flags again.

In a second application, the Berlin Left Youth accuses the media and apparently parts of the Left and the Greens of a campaign against those party members who showed strong solidarity with the Palestinian movement. In doing so, she expressly supports the party's Neukölln district association, which is at the center of the anti-Semitism allegations against the Left.

The Left Youth also rejects allegations against the rapper Dahabflex as defamatory. In addition, the left-wing Bundestag member Ferat Koçak is being defended against allegations of connections to organized crime. The claim that Ferat Koçak has ties to organized crime is, according to the “Tagesspiegel” documents, racially motivated. “Instead, we see how the party leadership bows to this incitement and takes action against left-wing parts of its base,” the application continues.

In the election for the Berlin House of Representatives on September 20th, the Left was the strongest force with 25.7 percent. They were followed by the CDU (18.8 percent), AfD (16.3 percent), the Greens (14.3 percent) and - with their historically worst result - the SPD (12.1 percent).

The previously ruling CDU/SPD coalition has lost its majority. After successful exploratory talks, attempts are now being made to form a red-green-red coalition. If this succeeds, Left Party leader Elif Eralp could become the first governing mayor of her party in Berlin.