Twenty SPD Federal MPs Issue Statement Opposing Berlin Coalition Talks with Die Linke

On October 18–19, 2026, twenty SPD federal Bundestag members published a joint statement opposing their Berlin state party's plan to enter coalition negotiations with Die Linke, according to Der Spiegel. The group was led by security policy spokesperson Sebastian Fiedler and digital policy spokesperson Johannes Schätzl; former Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was among the signatories. The statement cited 'recurring antisemitism conflicts' within the Berlin Linke branch and alleged contacts with the Remmo organised crime family and actors from extremist circles. The MPs declared that 'protection of Jewish life is non-negotiable' and that 'our compass of values is never negotiable.' They warned that even the appearance of organised crime gaining access to political influence would damage public trust in institutions. The intervention deepened an intra-SPD rift: Berlin SPD chair Steffen Krach and party leader Lars Klingbeil were pressing ahead with the coalition despite dissent, and the Berlin SPD state board was voting on the same day the statement was published.