Left Party’s Berlin Mayoral Candidate Admits Being Afraid of Extremists in Her Own Party

A descendant of Turkish immigrants seeking to become the next mayor of Berlin, admitted to colleagues in documents accidentally sent to and published by German magazine Der Spiegel that she is afraid of pro-Palestinian extremists in her own party.A staffer for Elif Eralp, who is a member of Germany’s Die Linke, also known as the Left Party, accidentally sent the publication the internal document outlining Ms. Eralp’s fears for her family’s safety because of Islamist radicals in the party. Ms. Eralp wrote that she and her husband were “afraid of these people.”The document was forwarded to the publication during a process to review interview quotes. Ms. Eralp was apparently seeking to remove from an impending interview for the magazine a question and her answer about an anti-Israel activist, Ibrahim Ibrahim. Mr. Ibrahim, described as a supporter of armed Palestinian militants, was photographed with the Left Party Bundestag member Ferat Koçak at the party’s victory celebration last month at Berlin.Ms. Eralp, whose socialist parents fled Turkey in 1980 during the military coup, has been compared to New York’s Democratic Socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani. She reportedly used his election playbook during the state election campaign.The Left Party picked up the largest number of votes in September state elections at Berlin and Ms. Eralp is seeking to form a coalition government with the Greens and the Social Democrats that would allow her to become mayor. If successful, it would be the first time the Left Party would lead Berlin, home to an estimated 40,000 Jews.The party has been accused of tolerating antisemitism and hate towards Israel. During a campaign rally a rapper shouted “Yalla yalla intifada” and “Kill IDF.”In the days leading up to the election, a member of the party’s local youth chapter distributed “Organize class war” stickers to students featuring the popular “Hello Kitty” cartoon character holding an AK-47 and Palestinian flag.Israel’s ambassador at Berlin, Ron Prosor, has warned that members of the Left Party display “uninhibited antisemitism.”Ms. Eralp has responded to the publication of her personal correspondence by attacking Der Spiegel. She said she is preparing to take legal action against the magazine. She says the documents were “private, internal” communications. “I will not be intimidated by anyone,” Ms. Eralp, on Thursday, told reporters.“What I can say very clearly is that as governing mayor, I will ensure the safety of all Berliners,” Ms. Eralp added.The chairman of the parliamentary panel in the Bundestag that supervises the federal intelligence services, Marc Henrichmann, said he was doubtful that Ms. Eralp could take a leadership role after the comments were published. “How could someone politically lead the German capital who is already incapable of acting due to fear of ‘false friends’?” Mr. Henrichmann told the Rheinische Post.Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned of growing antisemitism in Germany. He has asked the Social Democrats, his coalition partner at the national level, not to work with the Left Party to form a coalition government. Left Party members will vote Saturday on whether to enter into formal talks with the Social Democrats and Greens to create a leadership team.Representatives of Mr. Merz’s party, the Christian Democratic Union, have told the Social Democrats and the Greens to reconsider plans to form a joint government. The Greens previously raised their own concerns, saying allegations of antisemitism must be addressed before any partnership with the Left Party can work.

Left Party’s Berlin Mayoral Candidate Admits Being Afraid of Extremists in Her Own Party

Left Party’s Berlin Mayoral Candidate Admits Being Afraid of Extremists in Her Own Party

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