“Viva Palestine” chants echo at Berlin election celebrations
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- “Viva Palestine” and “Free Palestine” chants were heard at Die Linke’s election-night celebrations in Berlin.
- Die Linke won 25.7 percent in the preliminary final result, ahead of the CDU, with coalition talks now expected.
“Viva Palestine” and “Free Palestine” chants were heard during celebrations in Berlin after Germany’s Die Linke won the September 20 state election.
Supporters gathered at the party’s election-night event as preliminary final results showed Die Linke emerging as the strongest party in Berlin’s Abgeordnetenhaus election. Palestinian flags and other Palestinian symbols, along with keffiyehs, were visible among those attending the celebrations.
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According to the Berlin state election authority, Die Linke secured 25.7 percent of the vote, its strongest result in the city, finishing ahead of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which received 18.8 percent. The AfD followed with 16.3 percent, while the Greens won 14.3 percent and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) received 12.1 percent.
Voter turnout reached 74.2 percent, significantly higher than the 62.9 percent recorded in the previous election.
The result marks the first time Die Linke has emerged as the strongest party in a Berlin state election, after receiving 12.2 percent in 2023.
Die Linke’s lead candidate, Elif Eralp, is now seeking to form a governing coalition and become Berlin’s Governing Mayor.
Eralp won the direct constituency seat in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and has said her party intends to pursue a change in government following the election.
The election result leaves coalition negotiations ahead, with Die Linke, the Greens and SPD having enough seats for a majority according to the preliminary distribution.
The Palestinian chants and symbols at the election-night gathering came amid Die Linke’s broader campaign positions on the war in Gaza and Palestinian rights, making Palestine a visible theme among some supporters celebrating the party’s victory.
