21 September 2026 (Navroze Bureau) : Germany’s Die Linke (The Left) emerged as the largest party in Berlin’s state election, with lead candidate Elif Eralp at the centre of a campaign focused on housing affordability, lower rents and opposition to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The Left won about 25.3% of the vote, ahead of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at around 19% and the AfD at 16.3%, according to election results reported by Reuters.
Eralp’s Campaign Focused on Housing
Eralp, 45, made Berlin’s housing crisis one of the central issues of her campaign.
Die Linke has pledged to pursue the transfer of around 220,000 housing units owned by large corporate landlords into public ownership, arguing that this would help address rising rents and speculation in the city’s housing market.
Eralp has also campaigned for a more affordable Berlin, including measures focused on public services and the cost of living.
Anti-AfD Message
Another major theme of Eralp’s campaign was opposition to the AfD and its anti-immigration policies.
She presented Die Linke as a political alternative to the growing strength of the AfD, which has made significant gains in several German state elections.
The AfD finished third in Berlin with about 16.3%, while simultaneously topping the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, highlighting the contrasting political trends in Germany’s capital and northeastern state.
Eralp Could Become Berlin’s First Left Party Mayor
The election result puts Eralp in a position to potentially become Berlin’s first governing mayor from Die Linke.
However, winning the largest vote share does not automatically give the party control of the city-state government. Die Linke will need coalition partners to form a governing majority.
The SPD and Greens are among the potential partners, although differences remain over issues including housing policy and other areas of governance.
Turkish-German Background
Eralp is the daughter of Turkish migrants who fled Turkey following the 1980 military coup.
She was born in Germany, studied law and has worked as a lawyer defending migrants’ rights. She has been a member of Berlin’s state parliament since 2021.
If she eventually becomes Berlin’s governing mayor, she would become the city’s first mayor with a migration background, according to campaign reporting.
Influence of Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign
Eralp has openly cited New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani as an inspiration for her campaign.
She has drawn parallels between Mamdani’s focus on affordability and her own campaign around Berlin’s rents, public transport and cost-of-living pressures.
The comparison has led some international media to describe Eralp as a Berlin counterpart to Mamdani, although the political systems and policy environments of New York and Berlin differ.
Housing Nationalisation Proposal Faces Questions
Die Linke’s housing proposal remains politically and financially contested.
A 2021 Berlin referendum backed the idea of transferring large corporate housing portfolios into public ownership, but recent polling cited by Reuters indicated that support for the proposal had fallen to 37%. The SPD has also raised an estimated cost of around €20 billion.
These issues are likely to become important during coalition negotiations.
CDU Loses Ground in Berlin
The result also represents a setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU, which had been part of the governing coalition in Berlin.
The CDU finished second with around 19%, while the SPD received about 12.1%. The election therefore changes the balance among the major parties in the capital.
AfD Makes Gains Despite Coming Third
Although the AfD finished behind Die Linke and the CDU in Berlin, its approximately 16.3% share represents a significant presence in the capital.
At the same time, the party secured first place in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with about 38.3%, according to projections reported by Reuters. Other major parties have maintained a policy of refusing to form coalitions with the AfD.
Coalition Talks Now Key
The next stage will be coalition negotiations.
Die Linke’s ability to translate its election victory into control of Berlin’s government will depend on whether it can reach agreements with potential partners and resolve differences over housing, economic policy and other issues.
For Eralp, the result provides a strong electoral mandate for the issues at the centre of her campaign, but governing will require negotiations with parties holding different positions.
Berlin’s Political Landscape Shifts
The Berlin election is part of a broader period of political change in Germany.
While the AfD has continued to expand its support in several regions, Die Linke has also gained ground in Berlin by focusing on housing costs, inequality and opposition to the far right.
The outcome places both developments alongside the continuing pressure on Germany’s traditional mainstream parties.