Ferat Koçak on election success in Neukölln: “We have built a movement here”

taz: Mr. Koçak, it was one of the surprises of election night: With 30 percent of the first votes, you won the direct mandate for the Left Party in the Neukölln constituency. How did you manage that?

Ferat Koçak: We listened to people and put their real problems and worries at the centre of our election campaign. To do this, we rang 139,000 doorbells and had more than 50,000 conversations . In this way, we reached many people who feel left behind by politics - and then experienced: There are people who are interested in me and are fighting to improve my living conditions.

taz: This was possible thanks to the support of hundreds of mostly young people who campaigned for you. Where did this remarkable mobilization come from?

Koçak: I have always said very clearly that I want to do politics differently: not from above, but with the people. And many people who have not previously been able to get on with the Left Party or parties in general can get excited about this vision. I also have roots in Neukölln, and solidarity is strong. People know me from demonstrations and as a survivor of a right-wing arson attack . The trust in me as a person has also led to me receiving a lot of support.

taz: What will you do with this momentum after the election?

Koçak: It continues straight away: We are continuing the door-to-door conversations, the next date is March 16. We haven't rung all the doorbells in Neukölln yet! For us, it was never just about campaigning. We have built a movement here, and this work is now continuing. Also by organizing district meetings and thus creating permanent spaces in which the people of Neukölln can be politically active.

taz: You will soon be sitting in the Bundestag. What issues do you particularly want to campaign for there?

Koçak: My concerns are the concerns of the people of Neukölln. I see my mandate as a collective mandate, which is why we decide together. But of course, behind many of the pressing issues here in the district - rents, local transport, waste disposal - there is actually the question of redistribution. I want to keep the pressure high. And of course I will continue to fight for the things that I also represent in the Berlin House of Representatives and on the streets: anti-racism, anti-fascism and climate justice.

taz: What does this collective mandate look like?

Koçak: The district assemblies, where decisions are made together, are important for this. I also consult with the Neukölln district association. Ultimately, it's about the local people being able to use my mandate to a certain extent. But it also works the other way round. I want to support activists in their struggles, for example the tenants' initiative from the Weiße Siedlung , which I accompany to the health department. My mandate gives this more emphasis. This is another way of using the mandate together.

taz: Many politicians have entered the Bundestag with big promises and then disappointed their voters. How do you see this danger? After all, the Left, as the smallest opposition faction, will hardly be able to change anything.

Koçak: I won't give in. We said from the beginning: all the other parties promise the most amazing things before the election. We don't, except that we will fight with all our might for the issues affecting Neukölln and use our resources in the Bundestag for the hard-working people. It would be disappointing if I did nothing. But people can rely on me to fight for them and to give them feedback. And I have always capped my salary at 2,500 euros, and I will continue to do so in the Bundestag. That is the assurance for people that I am not for sale and that I will remain true to myself and the people of Neukölln.