Left-wing MP Ferat Koçak leaves the Interior Committee because of criticism of contacts in the Berlin clan milieu

After criticism of his contacts in the Berlin clan milieu, left-wing MP Ferat Koçak loses the Bundestag's Interior Committee. “I don’t want my colleagues and their important parliamentary work to be put under additional strain by attacks on me,” Koçak wrote on X. “That’s why I’m giving up my seat on the Interior Committee.”

“I am neither a criminal nor do I support organized crime,” he continued. At the same time he had to admit: “I made a mistake. When dealing with my contact with the Remmo family, I did not live up to my self-image. I was naive in the specific situation and overwhelmed by the situation. I take responsibility for that.”

Controversial chat messages

After the election to the House of Representatives in Berlin, Koçak was under pressure because he had exchanged friendly chat messages with a son of an extended family associated with the clan milieu, Firas Remmo. According to the alleged content published by him, Koçak also asked for the help of “all of your people” in distributing a video of him. The MP had previously described this as a mistake and had withdrawn from public view for the time being and had already given up his seat on the Bundestag's Interior Committee.

In photos on social media he was also seen next to Ibrahim Ibrahim at a Neukölln Left election party. According to the democ association, which deals with anti-democratic movements, he is a long-time activist of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is classified as a terrorist organization in the EU and the USA.

Contact after calling on Instagram

Koçak gave “Zeit” insights into chats that he had with the Remmos. According to the report, the contact arose after young people from an Antifa group launched a call at the beginning of the year because they needed new cell phones. Koçak then posted on Instagram: “Does anyone have a smartphone to give away.”

According to his description, several people then came forward, including Firas Remmo, as “Zeit” writes. According to the report, the family member commented on Koçak's question with: "Yes, I would like to." The left-wing politician replied with a red heart and wrote: “Brother you can send to” and sent him the address of his office. “With pleasure,” Remmo replied, but if Koçak wanted, he could also bring the cell phone over. “Brother, no matter what you need, no matter what I can do for you, let me know,” it continued.

Koçak told “Zeit” that he didn’t know Firas Remmo. "It's stupid of me that I didn't look who that was." As a member of the Interior Committee in the Bundestag, he has also dealt with the issue of clan crime, as he did before in the Berlin House of Representatives. A controversial term because, according to critics, it stigmatizes and discriminates against people with a migrant background based solely on their family affiliation and origin.

The left also largely rejects the term. Koçak believes the authorities' actions are racist and stigmatizing. When asked whether he didn't need to know the people affected, the answer was, according to "Zeit": "I don't need to know these people to do this work," said Koçak. “I don’t need to know who the bad guys are.” For him it is important “that we make it clear that it doesn’t work that way!”

Meeting in the office

According to the descriptions, a meeting later took place in the Remmo family's office. According to his description, Koçak met the head of the family there, Issa Remmo, whom he knew from the media. Only then did the left-wing politician claim to have realized who he was dealing with. He speaks of an “overwhelming situation”.

According to the report, there were further contacts between the leftist and the family. Koçak wants to have dodged. According to “Zeit”, the representations cannot be verified. The Remmo family did not respond to questions from the newspaper.

In the Bundestag since 2025

Koçak entered the Bundestag for the first time in the 2025 federal election after winning the direct mandate in Neukölln. Previously, he was a member of the left-wing faction in the Berlin House of Representatives.