Ferat Koçak, a Die Linke party member from Neukölln, intends to “withdraw” from public life following discussions surrounding his connection to members of a criminal gang, the Remmo family.
A leading member of the Remmo family appeared at a Left Party election party in Neukölln on Sunday. Die Linke in Berlin-Neukölln subsequently emphasised that it had neither political nor personal ties to the individual. “We were not aware of this person or their presence in particular; they are not on our registration list.”
Later on Monday, a screenshot of a chat history between Kocak and another member of the Remmo family circulated. In it, Kocak wrote, “Respectfully returning greetings to your father,” and asked for a speech by him to be shared.
“The reports about chat logs between myself and Firas Remmo have unsettled the public. Rightly so: Contacts between elected officials and individuals associated with organised crime are unjustifiable. I understand that even the appearance of such proximity must be completely dispelled,” Kocak continued.
At the time, he had no knowledge of who it was. “I only found out shortly afterwards. Writing to him afterwards, as I usually do with many people when I publish speeches, was a mistake for which I apologise.”
The Remmo extended family came to Berlin from Lebanon in the 1980s. The family, now spanning several generations, is said to comprise several hundred people. Primarily young men from the extended family have been arrested and convicted in connection with numerous crimes and acts of violence. They frequently made headlines – for example, after the theft of a giant gold coin from a Berlin museum.
Kocak was a member of the Berlin House of Representatives for four years, starting in 2021, before moving to the Bundestag in 2025. He won a direct mandate in Neukölln at that time, making him the first politician from Die Linke to win a constituency outside former East Germany.
The CDU is furious about the appearance of clan boss Issa Remmo at the Die Linke’s election parties in Neukölln and Kreuzberg. However, according to a report by the “Tagesspiegel” in January 2025, Remmo was invited to the German parliament building by Christian Zander, the CDU member of parliament for Tempelhof, who was also re-elected to parliament on Sunday.
