A Trotskyist network known as Marx21 has successfully infiltrated Germany's Die Linke party, raising concerns about the influence of anti-Israel and Islamist-friendly elements within the capital's political leadership. Following Die Linke's victory in the Berlin state election, questions have emerged regarding whether the city will soon be co-governed by individuals accused of antisemitism and ties to extremist groups, challenging the ability of mayoral candidate Elif Eralp to maintain control.
The current debate centers on two prominent figures: Vanessa Emde and Ferat Ali Koçak. Emde, a 45-year-old member of parliament who won her Neukölln constituency with over 46 percent of the vote, denies Israel's right to exist. Despite this stance, she had not been expelled from the parliamentary faction ahead of the party conference scheduled for the weekend. Koçak, a 47-year-old Bundestag representative from Neukölln, posed for photos at Die Linke's election party with Ibrahim Ibrahim, a leading supporter of the communist terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in Germany. Ibrahim also represents the United Palestinian National Committee (VPNK), which the Berlin domestic intelligence service identifies as an umbrella organization for PFLP and Hamas supporters. Koçak has also maintained contact with members of the Remmo family, a prominent clan in Berlin.
Both politicians owe their electoral success partly to Marx21, an association often described as a Trotskyist network. While Emde is a member, Koçak denies membership but admits that Marx21 has supported him for a long time, with group members explicitly campaigning for him. Furthermore, Daniel Kipka-Anton, an employee in Koçak's Bundestag office, serves on the association's board, organizes its annual congress, and manages its online presence.
Marx21 is part of the International Socialist Tendency (IST), based in London, and reportedly has 450 members. The group adheres to Trotskyist ideology, viewing themselves as the true heirs of Lenin and advocating for the overthrow of capitalism through revolution and the establishment of a dictatorship of the proletariat via workers' councils. They reject parliamentary systems and employ a tactic known as "entrism," where they infiltrate other organizations to influence them from within. The German domestic intelligence service assesses that Marx21 utilizes this strategy. Historically, the group operated under names like "Socialist Workers Group" and "Linksruck" before joining Die Linke in 2007 via the WASG party, forming the Marx21 network within it.
From its inception, the group has promoted "anti-Zionism," describing Israel as an imperialist apartheid state. In a document dated April 7, 2023, titled "How does Marx21 stand on the liberation of Palestine?", the group explicitly called for the destruction of the State of Israel, labeling it a racist and colonial construct essential to Western imperialism. Although the text is no longer available on their website, it remains accessible online. The document argues that a one-state solution is necessary for Palestinian liberation, requiring the abolition of Israel and its replacement with a democratic state for all inhabitants.
Marx21 has operated unhindered within Die Linke since its founding, viewing the party as a vehicle to advance class struggle. Party leadership, including former co-chairs Oskar Lafontaine and Katja Kipping, attended Marx21 conferences. Current chair Ines Schwerdtner discussed the party's development at a 2025 Marx21 congress and defended "opinion pluralism" within the party when asked why Die Linke had not distanced itself from the group.
Christine Buchholz, a key figure for the Trotskyists who served on Die Linke's federal board for 16 years until 2024, has been instrumental in the group's influence. She remained seated during Israeli President Shimon Peres's 2010 speech to the Bundestag and admitted that her husband and six staff members were Marx21 members to ensure trust. Buchholz compared the group's strategy to the Bolsheviks using the Duma parliament before the 1917 revolution. Alongside Buchholz, two other Bundestag members belonged to the group, initially supporting Sahra Wagenknecht's faction before aligning with Katja Kipping after Wagenknecht took critical positions on migration.
In 2021, Janine Wissler, a former Marx21 member who joined the precursor group Linksruck at age 17, became Die Linke's party chair. She left the organization before her election, stating it is customary to leave factions upon becoming chair, though she never explicitly distanced herself ideologically from Marx21. The group achieved significant influence in Berlin, particularly in Neukölln, where many Trotskyists relocated to gain decisive sway over the district association.
Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza, which Marx21 members justified as "liberation" or "resistance," the group aligned itself with the broader pro-Palestine front. This included ties to "Palestina spricht," a group close to the BDS boycott movement. Ramsis Kilani, a speaker for "Palestina spricht" and member of both Die Linke and Marx21, was expelled from the party in December 2024 for relativizing Hamas terror and denying Israel's right to exist.
In response to these events, several Trotskyists, including Christine Buchholz, left Die Linke to join "Socialism from Below," a split-off group with 16 local chapters. They plan to hold a congress in mid-November featuring Emde, Koçak, Kilani, and Buchholz. The presence of Marx21 has caused significant damage to Die Linke's reputation, fostering antisemitism within the party. Prominent figures like Klaus Lederer and Elke Breitenbach left the party in October 2024 after a motion to condemn antisemitism was watered down by the pro-Palestinian wing. MP Sebastian Schlüsselburg also defected to the SPD after demanding an incompatibility resolution with Marx21, though observers suggest it may be too late for such measures.
Sources: FAZ.