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Berlin Left Party sends cease-and-desist to Baden-Württemberg interior minister over 'clan mayor' remark
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The Berlin branch of the Left Party (Die Linke) is escalating a legal conflict with Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Manuel Hagel (CDU). A law firm has sent Hagel a cease-and-desist letter, demanding he refrain from repeating certain statements. The letter, seen by the German Press Agency, argues that Hagel, acting in his official capacity, violated the principle of equal opportunity in political competition by linking the Left Party's top candidate, Elif Eralp, to criminal clans. Hagel had offered Berlin police officers the chance to transfer to Baden-Württemberg following the Left Party's electoral success in Berlin, stating: 'The Berlin police are too good for a left-wing clan mayor who wants to take away their means and powers.' Hagel's office has indicated he will not sign the undertaking. The Left Party is also pursuing legal action against other politicians who made similar accusations on social media. The Left Party won the Berlin state election on September 20 and is seeking to form a coalition with the Greens and SPD to make Eralp the governing mayor.
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Political scientist Volker Kronenberg warns against the Left Party joining a governing coalition in Berlin. "Politics can only be shaped from the center," Kronenberg said.
The Berlin branch of the Left Party is escalating its conflict with Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Manuel Hagel (CDU) and is threatening further legal action. The CDU politician had linked election winner Elif Eralp to criminal clans.
The Berlin Left Party is taking legal action against Interior Minister Manuel Hagel (CDU). A law firm has sent the CDU politician a so-called cease-and-desist declaration. The letter is available to the German Press Agency (dpa). According to the document, Hagel is required to commit to not repeating certain statements made in his role as interior minister. If he fails to do so, the Left Party reserves the right to take further legal steps.
However, sources close to Hagel told dpa that the interior minister will not sign the letter.
Hagel had offered Berlin police officers the opportunity to transfer to the southwestern state following the Left Party's electoral success in the capital, while simultaneously linking top candidate Elif Eralp to criminal clans. He stated: "The Berlin police are too good for a left-wing clan mayor who wants to take away their resources and powers. Here in Baden-Württemberg, we know what we have in our police officers."
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Because Hagel made these statements in his capacity as interior minister, the legal letter argues that he violated the right to equal opportunity in political competition. State bodies are also obligated to maintain neutrality in the political competition between parties. The Berlin state branch is also taking action against other politicians who have accused the party of antisemitism and proximity to criminal clans via social media.
The Left Party emerged as the strongest force by a wide margin in the Berlin election on September 20. It now aims to form a coalition with the Greens and the SPD, with top candidate Elif Eralp as the governing mayor. In its election manifesto, the party announced its intention to halt further "rearmament" of the police and to redistribute funds, for example toward street-level social work.
dpa/krö
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