Berlin – November 05, 2026 -- POLITICO Deutschland and WELT will launch the joint politics podcast "Inside links" on November 5, 2026, extending the PREMIUM-GRUPPE's cross-brand political coverage to a third behind-the-scenes format. The launch coincides with the start of coalition talks between the SPD, the Greens and Die Linke in Berlin.
Two reporters alternate as hosts of 45-minute episodes
Politics reporters Philippa Vögeding and Gerrit Seebald will host in rotation. Each episode runs about 45 minutes and is also available as video on YouTube. The format covers the prospects of the potential Berlin coalition and the national debate over alliances on the left, which gained momentum after the state election in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Party and investigative reporters from both newsrooms support the hosts
A fixed team backs the hosts: Maximilian Heimerzheim and Carlotta Diederich cover the SPD, Jan Alexander Casper and Maximilian Stascheit the Greens, and Kevin Culina and Cedric Looks Die Linke. Lars Petersen, head of the investigative team, also contributes. Further internal and external experts and politicians will appear.
First episode examines risks to the Berlin red-green-red alliance
Vögeding and Looks will discuss why the Berlin coalition could still fail on the SPD's right wing and the left-leaning party base. Other topics include the fragile support for Elif Eralp, the difficult handling of Vanessa Emde, and the federal party's crisis. That crisis involves a contested resolution on Israel's right to exist and a party leader elected with 53 percent.
PREMIUM-GRUPPE adds third title to its "Inside" politics series
"Inside links" joins "Inside AfD" and "Inside Kanzleramt" in the group's series. The group comprises WELT, POLITICO Deutschland and BUSINESS INSIDER Deutschland. Helge Fuhst, chair of the group's editors-in-chief, said a federal left-wing alliance was long considered unrealistic. After recent state elections, he added, a new camp is emerging in national politics, made up of the SPD, Greens and Die Linke and set against the Union, FDP and AfD.
The podcast will be available on welt.de, politico.eu, YouTube and major podcast platforms.