Elif Eralp: ‘Germany’s Zohran Mamdani’ who vows to be a mayor for all Berliners
Elif Eralp, a lawyer and member of the Die Linke party, is poised to become Berlin's first mayor of Turkish origin following a successful election campaign. Her platform, which draws inspiration from democratic socialist movements, emphasizes social justice and inclusivity.
Why it matters
Eralp's rise represents a significant shift in German politics, reflecting changing demographics and the influence of progressive, grassroots-style political movements.
Elif Eralp celebrates in Berlin after the state elections. Elif Eralp celebrates in Berlin after the state elections. Germany Profile Elif Eralp: ‘Germany’s Zohran Mamdani’ who vows to be a mayor for all Berliners Die Linke candidate, a lawyer affected by her experiences as the child of political migrants from Turkey, poised to head Berlin coalition government
Prefer the Guardian on Google Elif Eralp launched her election bid last autumn with the blunt statement: “People like me are actually not supposed to become mayor in this country.” So the fact that the 45-year-old lawyer and daughter of political migrants from Turkey is on the verge of becoming Berlin’s next mayor and the capital’s first leader of Turkish origin is quite the moment in German politics.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in