Elif Eralp, the Left Party’s candidate for mayor of Berlin, said they would combat racism and seek to lift the ban on wearing headscarves in public institutions after her party finished ahead in the Berlin state parliament elections.
Assessing the outcome of the elections held on September 20, Eralp said she had not expected the result. Saying that Berliners had placed their trust in her, Eralp noted that she had received support from different sections of society and said she was particularly pleased by the backing of voters from immigrant backgrounds.
Combating racism and political representation
Eralp said combating racism and discrimination would be among the main focuses of her work. Saying that people from immigrant backgrounds had contributed to building Berlin, Eralp stressed that these communities should be more visible in society and political life.
Eralp said she believed Palestinians and Muslims were not adequately represented in Germany and argued that politics should recognize and represent the different sections of society. She advocated a common political approach based on human rights and inclusive of Muslims, Palestinians and Jews.
Eralp rejected accusations of antisemitism directed at her party and assessments that she had faced pressure from the government over the issue. She said she aimed for her politics to encompass all components of society.
Childhood experiences shaped her political approach
Eralp said her interest in racism and justice dated back to her childhood and youth, noting that she had witnessed racist attacks and incidents in Germany in the 1990s. Saying that she had wondered whether her family might also encounter similar incidents because they came from a migrant family of Turkish origin, Eralp said these experiences shaped her political approach.
Rents and the cost of living among priorities
Eralp said high housing rents and the rising cost of living were among the problems Berlin residents raised most frequently during the election campaign. She said Berliners were struggling to maintain a good standard of living because of the rising cost of life despite working and paying taxes.
Eralp said they wanted to reduce rents and ensure that everyone living in the city could enjoy better conditions, listing reducing the cost of living among her political priorities.
Family supported her election campaign
Eralp said she received financial and moral support from her family throughout the election campaign. Saying that her mother helped care for her children during the campaign and that family members in Türkiye also supported her and prayed for her, Eralp thanked her relatives.
