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The Left in Focus: Anti-Semitism Debate and Local Election Preparations!
On August 17, 2025, ARD will discuss the left and current challenges in a summer interview, live from Berlin.
The Left in Focus: Anti-Semitism Debate and Local Election Preparations!
In Cologne today all eyes are on the upcoming ARD summer interview, which will be broadcast on Sunday, August 17, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. on Erste. This interview discusses the Left, one of the most prominent political parties in Germany. The party is currently facing extraordinary challenges, particularly because of the allegations of anti-Semitism and the recent controversies surrounding a pro-Palestine festival by the local branch of the Left in Neukölln, Berlin. A group that is monitored by the Berlin Office for the Protection of the Constitution took part in this event because it has connections to Hamas. This situation does not go without reaction, although internal party criticism of the allegations is rather muted daserste.de reported.
Another exciting point is the upcoming local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, which are scheduled for September 2025. What is particularly interesting is that the Left has built its largest state association in this state after a series of party memberships. These new members bring a breath of fresh air to the party, which is increasingly presenting itself as younger, more female and more Western. This not only provides fresh momentum, but could also have a lasting impact on public perception of the party.
The interview and the watch parties
The summer interview will be conducted by Anna Engelke, deputy studio manager in the ARD capital studio. For anyone who would like to follow the interview live, there is the option of streaming it as part of “tagesschau together”. A watch party starts at 5 p.m. on various platforms such as Twitch, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, tagesschau24 and in the ARD media library, where viewers can actively contribute questions and comments. This not only enriches the viewing experience, but also promotes community, which is very special for many. This is a community experience that is very popular these days.
To round off everything, the podcast “Berlin Code” offers a look back at the summer interviews and is available in the ARD audio library and on other podcast platforms. The interviews are produced as part of the “Report from Berlin” and can be subtitled live in the ARD text on page 150.
With these dynamic developments within the left and the anticipation of the summer interview, nothing stands in the way of an exciting political season. The upcoming elections in North Rhine-Westphalia and the reactions to the current allegations will probably continue to be a topic of conversation and show what the problem is. So stay tuned!