Editors defend the decision
Speaking on Springer journalist Paul Ronzheimer's podcast, Hickmann said the decision had been difficult and that he had received critical feedback. He argued that the notes showed a politician seeking to govern the capital was allowing fear to guide her behavior: she would not even confirm an activist's name when asked by Der Spiegel.
The magazine's report, published Thursday, said Eralp feared that explicitly commenting on a well-known Palestinian activist could endanger her family. Eralp declined to address the report's specifics, saying the material was private and internal. In a statement Thursday, she said she wanted to ensure the safety of all Berliners.
A spokeswoman for the German Press Council confirmed that it had received complaints about the coverage. The Berliner Zeitung also reported that the Berlin Linke was considering legal action. Its co-state chair, Maximilian Schirmer, said the party was troubled by Der Spiegel's disregard for its security concerns. People within the party described the publication as outrageous and said they had repeatedly asked the magazine not to print the notes.
An interview returned with internal comments
Der Spiegel interviewed Eralp on Monday, sent a transcript to her spokesman for approval on Tuesday and received it back with comments and annotations on Wednesday. Her office reportedly included the internal notes by mistake. Giving interviewees an opportunity to approve the wording of a question-and-answer interview is common journalistic practice in Germany.
According to the Berliner Zeitung, Eralp removed a question and her answer concerning Palestinian activist Ibrahim Ibrahim. In the accompanying notes, she said she could not put herself and her family in danger for Der Spiegel and asked whether the entire interview could be canceled.
The Berliner Zeitung, citing Germany's domestic intelligence service, the Verfassungsschutz, reported that Ibrahim belongs to circles associated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, or PFLP. The EU and the United States classify the PFLP as a terrorist organization.
The newspaper also reported that Ibrahim appeared at the Linke's election party in Neukölln following the September 2026 election for Berlin's state parliament, the Abgeordnetenhaus. He subsequently traveled to Istanbul to attend a conference with officials associated with Hamas, the paper said.
Der Spiegel reported that, at the time of its coverage, Berlin's security authorities had no concrete threat situation concerning Eralp.
Calls to halt coalition talks
Eralp is seeking to form a Berlin state government with the Greens and the Social Democratic Party, or SPD. Acting Berlin CDU leader Stefan Evers urged both parties to end those talks. Speaking to Der Spiegel, he called for them to halt the process while saying he took Eralp's security concerns very seriously.
Former German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, an SPD politician, also advised his party to withdraw from the proposed coalition. He told Der Spiegel that he no longer considered Eralp a viable candidate for Berlin's governing mayor. Although he would not blame someone seeking office for fearing personal risks, he argued that feeling threatened was incompatible with holding such an office.
Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, told Der Spiegel that the party leadership's powerlessness and Eralp's apparent fear shocked him but did not surprise him. In his assessment, the reporting showed that the Linke was unable to distance itself from terrorist sympathizers and antisemites. He urged the Greens and SPD not to give the party responsibility for governing Berlin or protecting the Jewish community.
Greens express sympathy; Berlin SPD stays with talks
Green party chair Felix Banaszak expressed sympathy for Eralp. He told Der Spiegel it was shocking that a potential governing mayor could be so afraid of extremists and organized crime that she could not clearly identify the source of danger in an interview. Nobody should be prevented from speaking freely by fears for their own safety or that of their family, he said.
Banaszak also said the Linke had a duty to curb radical tendencies within its ranks and described the Berlin party's handling of the issue as sobering.
Berlin SPD chair Steffen Krach said Thursday that he remained committed to entering government with the Linke. He emphasized policy substance, including strong interior and economic policies and socially just housing policy, but said the coming weeks would show whether there was sufficient trust among the three parliamentary groups.
