Berlin's Left Party announces exploratory talks with the Greens and SPD

The move is particularly noteworthy in view of the SPD. Berlin's SPD had clearly spoken out against an alliance with the Left Party during the election campaign. With the current step, the SPD is now confronted with a concrete request for exploratory talks from which it cannot easily withdraw.

Berlin's Left Party described the exploratory talks to Bayerischer Rundfunk as urgent. The SPD must now state its position on whether it wants to support a left-green majority in Berlin. This shifts the question of power in the capital.

The SPD's stance

The Greens, who are considered the SPD's traditional coalition partner, are included in the plan. A three-way alliance of the Left Party, Greens, and SPD would be possible in Berlin, provided the SPD abandons its resistance and enters into exploratory talks.

If the exploratory talks proceed successfully, a new governing alliance could form in the Berlin House of Representatives. Until then, the process is open: Neither the SPD nor the Greens have so far publicly committed to taking part in formal exploratory discussions.

The CDU, which became the strongest force in the election, is left out of these exploratory talks. A combination of CDU and SPD or CDU and Greens would also be conceivable but is expressly not being pursued by the Left Party. The Left Party's initiative thus alters the previous coalition options.

Possible configurations

Observers assess the step as an attempt to reconstitute the Berlin government as quickly as possible with the involvement of the Left Party. Pressure on the SPD is growing to take a substantive position rather than postpone the issue.

When the first exploratory meetings could take place was initially unclear. Berlin's Left Party had stressed, however, that it very much wants to enter into exploratory talks.

What happens next

Should the SPD reject the talks, a phase of reorientation with unclear majority-building threatens. If it accepts the exploratory talks, concrete negotiations on policy points, ministerial posts, and a possible coalition agreement will begin.

The coming days in Berlin will show whether Berlin's SPD will respond to the initiative. An initial substantive reaction from the SPD to exploratory talks with Berlin's Left Party was not yet available at editorial deadline.