She is threatened with exclusion from the parliamentary group - Vanessa Emde calls in sick for the Left meeting

The leadership of the Left parliamentary group in the Berlin House of Representatives has not yet found a solution on how to further deal with MP Vanessa Emde, who is controversial because of her criticism of Israel.

A spokesman for the German Press Agency said the parliamentary group's executive board discussed the matter in a digital meeting. Emde, who was invited, called in sick and did not attend the meeting. The parliamentary group executive committee has now invited Emde back to the next meeting next Tuesday. “The group will continue discussions on the topic next week.”

Emde entered the House of Representatives for the first time in the election on September 20th. During the election campaign, she focused on the issue of Palestine and sparked discussions several times because of her positions critical of Israel. During the election campaign, Emde represented, among other things, the thesis that there is no right to exist for states, but only for people.

Trouble over Instagram video

Last Thursday she explicitly repeated this in an Instagram video. “I stand by my statements and I don’t take back any of them.” The group leadership then declared that they no longer saw any basis for cooperation with her. Emde could face expulsion from the parliamentary group.

The Left, the Greens and the SPD in Berlin want to negotiate a coalition after successful exploratory talks. The discussion about consistent action against anti-Semitism, fueled by several incidents in the ranks of the left, had made talks about forming a government difficult from the start.