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- October 12, 202619°
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- October 12, 202619°
Berlin election delivers historic result as Elif Eralp’s Left party wins
In state elections held in Berlin, the capital of Germany, the Left (Die Linke), led by Turkish-origin politician Elif Eralp, finished first with about a quarter of the vote. Coalition talks will determine whether Eralp becomes Berlin’s Governing Mayor.
In the House of Representatives elections held in Berlin, the capital of Germany, on September 20, 2026, the Left (Die Linke), led by Turkish-origin politician Elif Eralp, achieved a historic result and finished first.
According to the latest projections by German public broadcaster ARD, the Left became Berlin’s strongest political party with 25.3 percent of the vote. The CDU came second with about 20 percent.
The Left doubles its vote in Berlin
The election result marks a major rise for the Left. The party won 12.2 percent of the vote in Berlin’s 2023 elections.
In the 2026 elections, it nearly doubled its support, taking it above 25 percent and finishing first in a state election in Berlin for the first time.
The leading figure of the party’s election campaign was Turkish-origin lawyer and politician Elif Eralp.
Eralp: We made history
After the election results were announced, Eralp addressed her supporters, thanked Berliners and said that her party had achieved a historic success.
Following the results, Eralp said she wanted to play a leading role in forming Berlin’s new government and was aiming to become Governing Mayor.
CDU falls to second place
The CDU, which governs Berlin, lost a significant share of the vote and fell to second place in the election.
In ARD’s projection, the Left was first with 25.3 percent, while the CDU remained at around 20 percent. The Greens and AfD followed, while the SPD also suffered a significant loss of support.
Coalition talks will determine Berlin’s government
Although the Left finished first, it has not been automatically determined that Elif Eralp will become Berlin’s new Governing Mayor.
The parties will need to hold coalition talks to form a new government in Berlin. The current seat distribution and projections indicate that the support of more than one party may be needed to form a government.
Coalition talks in the coming days will therefore determine Berlin’s new administration and whether Eralp becomes Governing Mayor.
Turkish-origin Elif Eralp at the center of Berlin politics
The daughter of a Turkish-origin family, Elif Eralp has emerged as a prominent figure in Berlin politics through her work on migration, human rights and social policy, in addition to her legal background.
The result achieved in the September 20 election marked the beginning of a new era in Berlin politics for both the Left and Eralp.
The most important process ahead for Eralp will be the coalition talks that begin after the election results.
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