Accusations arise that Berlin lawmaker may have used parliamentary funds for campaign work

New research questions whether Left Bundestag member Ferat Koçak kept his parliamentary expense budget separate from party election work. His Neukölln district office, labelled internally as “linx*44,” was used for a debate invitation by the local party board, despite the party having separate premises. Records show the Berlin branch discussed using the state-funded mandate allowance via the party’s social fund to distribute unpaid invoices to potential voters, a move that would breach rules on influencing elections.

Koçak and district leader Jorinde Schulz have not responded to inquiries. Additionally, the office hosted regular gatherings of “The Left Berlin,” a breakaway faction that collaborates with initiatives under observation by the constitutional protection agency and plans anti-Israel protests. These developments compound earlier criticism of Koçak’s connections to the Remmo family, whose members have been implicated in various criminal matters.