Berlin left-wing MP Vanessa Emde: No solution to the Emde question

The Berlin left-wing faction made no decision on the controversial MP Vanessa Emde on Tuesday. Emde, who was directly elected in Neukölln, exchanged ideas with the parliamentary group executive committee in a closed session for about an hour and a half at midday, and she was also discussed later in the parliamentary group meeting. No solution was reached. A report in the evening said: “Even after this conversation, the parliamentary group executive does not believe there is a common working basis.”

Two weeks ago, Emde had essentially canceled a joint agreement between the parliamentary group on the Middle East issue, which she had signed herself, in a video. Contrary to the decision, she once again advocated a one-state solution in the Middle East instead of representing the consensus of the party and parliamentary group - a two-state solution and support for Israel's right to exist. Apparently Emde was now not ready to revoke her distancing.

As a consequence, the parliamentary group executive announced: “We will continue to discuss the resulting processes in the committees.” One of them will probably be the group that meets again next Tuesday. An application for the exclusion of Emde can be submitted there, which requires a two-thirds majority to be accepted.

At the same time, Emde will probably also be an issue in the state executive committee of the Left. He is well informed about the events: The two party leaders Maximilian Schirmer and Kerstin Wolter are also members of the parliamentary group executive board and took part in the fruitless conversation with Emde.

The basis for the discussion in the party committee is the elected official agreement signed by Emde, as well as by all other Left Party candidates, before the election. In it, all future MPs undertake to adhere to the principles of the party, i.e. the Erfurt program, but also to the election program and to “actively represent” this.

The agreement stipulates that if the “duties towards the party” are violated, dialogue must first be held. In the event of “continued non-fulfillment of obligations”, the executive boards of the state or district party should submit “suggestions for how to deal” with the respective party congresses. There is a call for Emde to return the mandate it has won to the party. However, there is no action that obliges MPs to do this.