Die Linke's Elif Eralp Leads Berlin Polls at 45, Eyeing First Left Mayor Since Reunification
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 19
Die Linke's Elif Eralp Leads Berlin Polls at 45, Eyeing First Left Mayor Since Reunification
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 19
Summary
Sunday's Berlin vote has Elif Eralp narrowly ahead, putting Die Linke within reach of its first mayoralty in the capital since German reunification.
Die Linke built Eralp's campaign around rents and living costs, borrowing from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's playbook of social media outreach and intensive door-to-door organizing.
Nearly 4 million residents face a housing crunch, and Eralp has proposed rent caps in publicly owned housing, a task force on excessive rents and more municipal construction.
Close polls still leave the race open, with the AfD and Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU trailing closely and rivals attacking Die Linke's expropriation plans and policing stance.
Berliners elect parties rather than a mayor directly, so even a Die Linke first-place finish would likely force coalition talks before Eralp could take office.