The Turkey dilemma

Interference is not a good counsel

by Florian Stumfall*

(25 June 2023) Turkish President Erdogan has been confirmed to office, and the Turkish community in Germany has made a disproportionate contribution to this result. At first glance, this may appear surprising because the people in question are predominantly second- or third-generation residents of Germany, but they have now made a national Turkish-Islamic pledge. So, while German politicians speak idealistic words about integration on all festive and holiday occasions, the majority of Turks residing in their local communities, retain a strong sense or their Turkish identity. The overly generous dual citizenship law also makes it easy for them.

However, commentators are perplexed and lamenting, not only because of the election results in Germany, but also because they have to live with Erdogan for another presidential term. For, in public opinion he is regarded as someone who will go down in history as a failure, a man with brute-like tendencies, and overall, an example of how a politician should not be.

Of course, people are now complaining that the election was not fair, and that the opposition was prevented from expressing itself freely. Well, in a Germany that has become almost unrecognisable due to the all-pervasive political correctness, one should be cautious when talking about other people’s freedom of expression. Besides, it can’t have been that bad if an opposition politician forces the incumbent president into a run-off and only narrowly loses.

But Erdogan is not liked in Germany. Why is that? The Turkish president thinks and acts according to his own Turkish tradition and has no reason to ask Berlin or elsewhere whether this is acceptable.

Yet, Western do-gooders believe they have the moral high ground for the whole of humanity.

That’s why it can happen that whenever German foreign politicians visit countries like Turkey or China, the very first thing they do, unfortunately with Minister Baerbock at the helm, is to bombard the leaders with criticism and unsolicited advice. All this disguised as diplomatic posturing.

Moreover, as far as Turkey is concerned, the matter is rather duplicitous anyway. Ankara is still considered a candidate for EU membership and receives considerable funds for the purpose of “pre-accession”. Here in Germany, the right doesn’t know what the left is doing.

Source: “Dolomiten”. Tagblatt der Südtiroler, 2 June 2023
(Reproduced with the kind permission of the publisher)

(Translation “Swiss Standpoint”)