Which parties are important in Berlin?
Berlin has many political parties, each pursuing its own agenda. These parties are organized at different levels. Many have a Berlin state association, as well as several district and local branches.
The parties that receive the most votes form parliamentary groups in the House of Representatives, Berlin’s parliament. The largest group there is the CDU, which governs together with the SPD. Berlin’s Governing Mayor, Kai Wegner, is a member of the CDU.
Other parties represented in the House of Representatives include Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Die Linke, and the AfD. One member of parliament joined the BSW after the election. In addition, there are many other parties that are currently not represented in the Berlin parliament.
What is the CDU?
The CDU is an important party in Berlin. The abbreviation stands for “Christian Democratic Union.” The party is generally considered conservative and economically liberal.
The CDU is the party with the most members in Germany, and most German chancellors—including Angela Merkel—have come from the CDU. In Berlin, the party has frequently led the government and currently holds the mayoralty, with Kai Wegner as Governing Mayor.
Other key CDU politicians in Berlin include Stefan Evers (Finance Senator), Ute Bonde (Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment), Katharina Günther-Wünsch (Education, Youth and Family) and Felor Badenberg (Justice and Consumer Protection). Important issues for the CDU in Berlin include security and the economy.
What is the SPD?
The SPD is one of the major political parties in Berlin and is positioned on the center-left. The abbreviation stands for “Social Democratic Party of Germany.”
It is particularly committed to social issues such as affordable housing, good working conditions, and education. In Berlin, several thousand members are active in district branches, local associations, and working groups. As of December last year, the Berlin SPD had 17,673 members.
It is currently in coalition with the CDU. Key figures for the 2026 House of Representatives election include Steffen Krach and Bettina König. Steffen Krach is running as the SPD’s lead candidate for Governing Mayor of Berlin. Bettina König is expected to co-lead the Berlin SPD together with him.
Other well-known SPD politicians in Berlin include Franziska Giffey, currently serving as Senator for Economic Affairs, and Raed Saleh, parliamentary group leader of the SPD in the Berlin House of Representatives.
The Senate also includes Cansel Kiziltepe (Senator for Labor, Social Affairs, Equality, Integration, Diversity and Anti-Discrimination), Iris Spranger (Senator for the Interior and Sport), Christian Gaebler (Senator for Urban Development, Building and Housing) and Ina Czyborra (Senator for Science, Health and Care).
Here you can find the Berlin Wiki page of Berliner Morgenpost.
