Berlin Left Party Invites Greens and SPD to Coalition Talks After Election Gains

After elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Berlin Left Party has invited the Greens and SPD to preliminary talks on forming a government. The Greens' youth wing has spoken out in favor of an alliance with the Left Party, while former SPD minister Sigmar Gabriel warned his party against cooperating with the Left, citing antisemitism concerns. Meanwhile, Chancellor Merz and the CDU parliamentary group are meeting to discuss the consequences of their election losses. The Left's strong showing, including in immigrant communities, comes as the AfD also made gains in the German capital.