Business · Companies · 12 hrs ago
Talks between Germany’s Left Party and Vonovia called off over journalist dispute
A planned housing-policy meeting in Berlin did not take place between Left Party leader Luigi Pantisano and Vonovia chief executive Luka Mucic.
The Left Party said it cancelled the meeting because Vonovia would not allow a journalist to attend.
Vonovia disputed that account, saying it had never agreed to a journalist joining a confidential discussion.
The disagreement comes amid a dispute over claims about the company made by Left Party politician Jan van Aken in a television interview.
The meeting was meant to discuss housing policy with Germany’s largest landlord.
Both sides say they are still willing to talk, but no new meeting date was given.
A planned discussion between Germany’s Left Party and landlord Vonovia was called off over whether a journalist could attend.
The Left Party said Vonovia had rejected the journalist’s participation and insisted on a closed-door meeting.
Vonovia said it had never agreed to journalistic attendance at the confidential discussion.
The parties blamed each other for the cancellation but said they remained open to talks.
The planned discussion was about housing policy in Berlin.
- Who
- Left Party leader Luigi Pantisano and Vonovia chief executive Luka Mucic were due to meet.
- What
- Their planned discussion was called off over a dispute about a journalist attending.
- When
- The meeting was planned for midday on October 13, 2026.
- Where
- The discussion was to address housing policy in Berlin. The planned meeting location is not stated.
- Why
- The Left Party said Vonovia rejected an independent journalist’s participation; Vonovia said it had never agreed to journalistic attendance.
The Left Party
Vonovia
Journalist attendance
The Left Party
The Left Party said an independent journalist had been included in the arrangement and that Vonovia later rejected the journalist’s participation.
Vonovia
Vonovia said it had never agreed to journalistic attendance at the confidential discussion.
Responsibility for cancellation
The Left Party
Luigi Pantisano said Vonovia had broken an agreement; Heidi Reichinnek said Vonovia had caused the planned meeting to fail.
Vonovia
Vonovia said it had not been informed of the Left Party’s cancellation and learned about it from the journalist.
Vonovia said it proposed a personal exchange after a television interview by Jan van Aken.
The parties discussed a meeting, with the Left Party saying a journalist had been included in the arrangement and Vonovia disputing that account.
The planned midday discussion between Luigi Pantisano and Luka Mucic did not take place.
- Participants
- Luigi Pantisano and Luka Mucic
- Company
- Vonovia, described by Handelsblatt as Germany’s largest landlord
- Planned topic
- Housing policy in Berlin
- Planned timing
- Midday on October 13, 2026
- Disputed issue
- Whether an independent journalist could attend the discussion
2 sources
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What people are saying
Ich bedauere, dass Vonovia die Vereinbarung gebrochen hat
Wir machen keine Hinterzimmerpolitik. Wir sind nicht die CDU
Selbstverständlich hätten beide Seiten im Anschluss öffentlich über den Austausch sprechen können.
Die großen Wohnkonzerne pressen die Mieterinnen weiter aus für die Rendite