Politics · Germany · 1 day ago
Klingbeil urges Berlin Left to expel antisemitic politicians
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil urged Berlin’s Left party to expel politicians with antisemitic views or clan connections.
His remarks came as the Left, the Greens and the SPD negotiate a coalition government in Berlin.
The dispute centers on Left politician Vanessa Emde, a Neukölln representative criticized for statements about Israel and Palestine.
Emde joined the Left’s parliamentary group after signing a statement opposing antisemitism and supporting Israel’s existence, but later distanced herself from that statement.
The party has not decided whether to remove her, and her membership has unsettled the SPD and Greens as talks continue.
The dispute could affect whether the coalition deal goes ahead; after negotiations, the parties plan to put any agreement to their members for a vote.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil urged Berlin’s Left party to expel politicians with antisemitic views or links to clan circles.
He made the remarks at the SPD Economic Forum during coalition talks between the Left, the Greens and the SPD in Berlin.
Klingbeil said parties should not condemn political developments in Saxony-Anhalt while allowing similar concerns in Berlin.
The dispute centers on Left politician Vanessa Emde, whose views on Israel and Palestine have drawn criticism.
No decision had been made on whether Emde would be excluded from the Left’s parliamentary group.
- Who
- SPD leader Lars Klingbeil urged Berlin’s Left party to remove politicians with antisemitic views or clan links.
- What
- He called for their exclusion from the party’s structures.
- When
- November 4, 2026.
- Where
- At the SPD Economic Forum; the remarks concerned Berlin’s Left party.
- Why
- The comments came amid Berlin coalition talks and controversy over Vanessa Emde’s views on Israel and Palestine.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Left won 25.7 percent of the Berlin state election vote and became the strongest party, according to WELT.
The Left, Greens and SPD began coalition negotiations in Berlin.
The Left parliamentary group’s leadership discussed Vanessa Emde but made no decision, according to Spiegel.
Klingbeil called for Berlin’s Left party to expel politicians with antisemitic views or clan links.
- Speaker
- Lars Klingbeil
- Party at center of call
- Berlin’s Left
- Politician at center of controversy
- Vanessa Emde
- Left’s election result
- 25.7 percent on September 20, 2026
- Other negotiating parties
- Greens and SPD
4 sources
What people are saying
Antisemitische Kräfte und Kräfte, die mit den Clans zu tun haben, müssen rausgeschmissen werden.
Wir können nicht Sachsen-Anhalt kritisieren, wenn wir dann in Berlin Sachen durchgehen lassen.