Die Linke won the state parliament election with 25.7% of the vote, a significant lead over the other parties. The CDU suffered significant losses, falling to 18.8%. The AfD made strong gains, reaching 16.3%. The Greens followed with 14.3%, and the SPD with 12.1% – both showing losses compared to the previous election.
The BSW failed to enter the House of Representatives with 4.7% of the vote. This means that a red-green-red coalition led by the Left Party would have a majority in parliament, as would an alliance of the CDU, Greens and SPD.
The election result is so clear that a government can be formed relatively without fuss; a clear majority wants Elif Eralp to become the first Left Party mayor. However, it could still be some time before it’s clear who will govern from the Rotes Rathaus and in the 12 districts.
The new parliament does not have to elect the governing mayor immediately, there is no legal deadline for this. After the repeat election on February 12, 2023, 74 days passed before Kai Wegner (CDU) was elected as the new Governing Mayor.
Die Linke received the most votes but can only govern in a coalition with other parties on the left of centre, as the CDU refuses to cooperate with Elif Eralp’s party. A joint government with the Greens and the SPD would be realistic.
Several leading candidates in Berlin missed out on direct mandates in the House of Representatives election but will enter parliament via the district lists. This includes Finance Senator Stefan Evers (CDU). He came in second in Treptow-Köpenick, behind the AfD candidate. SPD state chairman Steffen Krach only managed third place in Steglitz-Zehlendorf, behind the CDU and Die Grünen candidates. AfD parliamentary group leader Kristin Brinker only came in fifth in her Steglitz-Zehlendorf constituency. However, as the top candidate, her re-election is guaranteed.
Elif Eralp, the Left Party’s lead candidate, won in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Die Grünen lead candidate, Werner Graf, did not run as a direct candidate in any of his own constituencies. However, he secured a seat via the second spot on the state list.
Former Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey of the SPD lost to the CDU candidate in Rudow. She will therefore no longer be a member of the new House of Representatives.
Elif Eralp (Die Linke) is confident that her party will approve exploratory talks with the Greens and the SPD. She also promised to work towards forming a coalition to tackle the rent crisis in Berlin. Specifically, this means they will seek partners with whom the housing corporations can be socialised. “I’ve always said that if the Left Party joins the government, then socialisation will happen,” Eralp said in an interview.
