Cem Özdemir warns
German Erdogan’s party would be “the last thing we need”
January 28, 2024, 8:28 p.m
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According to a media report, the Turkish ruling party AKP is preparing to found a German branch. The list of candidates for the European elections is already there. There are now unanimous warnings coming from federal politics.
Politicians from several parties in Germany have expressed concern about the possible creation of a branch of the Turkish AKP party for the upcoming European elections. Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir wrote on Platform X: “An Erdogan offshoot running for elections here is the last thing we need.”
The background is a report in the “Bild” newspaper about the founding of a “Turkish Islamist party” called DAVA (Democratic Alliance for Diversity and Awakening). According to its own information, the newspaper has the founding declaration. Four men are named as the top candidates for the European elections who are said to have previously worked for President Erdogan’s Islamic-conservative ruling party AKP or its frontline organizations.
SPD leader Saskia Esken told Welt-TV: “For me it is important that we make it clear to our fellow citizens of Turkish origin in Germany that Germany belongs together, that we are one people, that we will not allow any of these forces “How these right-wing extremist networks are now coming close to power and want to deport migrants, but of course the divisive tendencies of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan must not play a role here.”
Union parliamentary group vice-president Jens Spahn warned on The CDU interior expert Christoph de Vries told “Bild am Sonntag” that the federal government should “under no circumstances take this party founding lightly.” It is urgent that the security authorities closely monitor all activities of this party and its connections to the Turkish government and intervene if the Turkish government exerts direct influence.