**🇩🇪 Germany – Thursday, 1 October 2026**
**Berlin coalition talks open**
Following Wednesday's internal Linke turmoil, Die Linke, the Greens and SPD held their first Berlin coalition talks on October 1, focused on antisemitism, racism and organized crime. The Greens and Linke had called agreement on antisemitism a "basic prerequisite" before formal negotiations can begin.
**Previously:**
ZDFheute
Berlin: SPD und Grüne vor Sondierungsgesprächen mit Linke?
Nach der Wahl in Berlin stehen Grüne und SPD vor einer weiteren Wahl: Linke oder CDU. Kritik zu möglichen Sondierungsgesprächen wird laut.
🇩🇪 Germany – Wednesday, 30 September 2026
**Linke moves to scrap Olympic bid**
Ahead of the coalition talks reported yesterday, Berlin's Linke announced plans to withdraw the city's bid for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Olympics, with top candidate Elif Eralp calling the 6 million euros already spent "a waste of taxpayers' money."
https://theleftberlin.com/news-from-berlin-and-germany-30-september-2026/
**Linke lawmaker suspends duties**
Berlin Linke politician Ferat Koçak suspended his parliamentary duties after criticism over contacts with organized-crime figures, a complication for the party as it heads into three-way coalition talks. Separately, Chancellor Merz is pushing ahead with legislation banning expropriation of large housing firms, aimed at roughly 240,000 units.
https://theleftberlin.com/news-from-berlin-and-germany-30-september-2026/
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