Negotiations on Berlin coalition continue despite disputes

12.10.2026 11:00 HotInfo

SPD, Greens and the Left in Berlin continue exploratory talks on forming a joint government after the state elections. The negotiations are under time pressure, and several open questions remain between the parties. Tagesspiegel ↗

The parties agreed on a joint approach to combating antisemitism, but the agreement has sparked criticism within the Left party itself. Several of the party's MPs and representatives question both its wording and the way it is supposed to respond to accusations of antisemitism. Left party MP in the Bundestag Dietmar Bartsch defends the agreement and supports the party's participation in government responsibility in Berlin. Spiegel.de ↗

The exploratory talks also address budget and domestic policy. There are differences between the SPD and the Left on issues of security and the functioning of internal affairs. Social Democratic senator Iris Spranger stated that she wants to push through her positions during the negotiations in a potential coalition.

Critics outside Berlin also spoke out against forming a coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and the Left. The general secretary of the Brandenburg SPD expressed doubts about cooperating with the Left. Federal Minister of Culture Wolfram Weimer warned that such a government could burden the functioning of the SPD-CDU coalition at the federal level. Deutschlandfunk ↗

The parties therefore await further negotiations on the budget, domestic policy and a joint approach against antisemitism. An agreement on forming a government is not yet certain. Tagesschau ↗

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