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Berlin Die Linke internal dispute over Vanessa Emde

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2026-11-10 06:35 UTC → 2026-11-10 18:19 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Berlin branch of Die Linke is facing internal conflict regarding Member of Parliament Vanessa Emde following her controversial statements about Israel. Emde previously asserted in a video that “states do not have a right to exist, only people do,” a position she stated she would not retract. The dispute has complicated coalition negotiations in Berlin involving the Linke, Greens, and SPD. Tensions escalated when Emde brought activist Hannah Bruns to a faction meeting at the Abgeordnetenhaus. Bruns is currently facing party expulsion proceedings due to allegations of antisemitism. Following this incident, the Berlin CDU called for extremism checks for parliamentary staff. The conflict has intensified as the party state executive board reportedly intends to call for Emde to return her mandate. Prominent party figure Gregor Gysi has publicly expressed hope for her expulsion from the parliamentary group, labeling her views as “antisemitic and above all indisputable” for the party. Other members, including Katalin Gennburg, have criticized Emde, stating that a mandate is not private property and that her actions threaten the party’s reputation. In a recent escalation, party leaders Kerstin Wolter and Maximilian Schirmer formally called on Emde, who won a direct mandate in Neukölln, to resign her seat. They accused her of repeatedly and deliberately disregarding collective party decisions, stating, “We no longer trust her.” Emde has officially rejected the demand to resign, maintaining that her mandate is “not a subject for negotiation.” ~~She asserts she is acting in accordance with party resolutions regarding Palestine solidarity~~ Faction leaders Elif Eralp and Tobias Schulze have since stated that Emde has ~~outlined specific conditions~~ failed to accept the foundations for ~~any potential coalition, including solidarity with Palestine~~ collective work and has destroyed trust in common agreements. Consequently, the ~~implementation of~~ Berlin Linke is preparing a ~~referendum~~ formal motion to ~~expropriate large housing companies.~~ expel Emde from its parliamentary group. This process requires a two-thirds majority of the 44 Linke members.

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