Growing concerns are being voiced in Germany regarding the actions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against the main Turkish opposition party, the CHP.
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Office, speaking anonymously, stated that they are closely monitoring the increasing pressure on the CHP, expressing growing concerns about democracy and the rule of law in Turkey. They noted a perceived trend where political competition is increasingly being pursued through judicial means, a point consistently raised in bilateral discussions with the Turkish side.
Recent actions by the Turkish judiciary have intensified pressure on the CHP. Ekrem İmamoğlu, the dismissed mayor of Istanbul, has been in pre-trial detention since spring on corruption charges. On Monday, police raided the CHP’s headquarters in Istanbul.
Jürgen Hardt, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, expressed deep concern about the state of Turkish democracy. He acknowledged the potential for reconciliation with Kurdish communities – a potentially positive development for Turkey across multiple sectors – but stated that these gains are now being jeopardized by actions against a legitimate opposition force. He emphasized the need for Turkey to establish normalcy and move away from a perpetual state of emergency, noting this hampers the country’s potential.
Adis Ahmetovic, the SPD parliamentary group’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, echoed these sentiments, describing the escalating measures against the CHP as a significant threat to Turkish democracy. He condemned the instrumentalization of the judiciary and subsequent actions like the banning of party gatherings and the blockade of CHP headquarters in Istanbul, characterizing them as indicative of an authoritarian course. Ahmetovic suggested these actions reflected a concern about maintaining power ahead of elections.
Max Lucks, the Green parliamentary group’s spokesperson for human rights policy, went further, asserting that Erdoğan has not only reshaped the Turkish state to his own liking, but is now using a politicized judiciary to target opposition figures. He maintained that such actions contradict the principles of democratic governance.
Differing viewpoints have emerged regarding appropriate responses to these developments. Jürgen Hardt advocated for restraint, suggesting that Germany should avoid measures that could further alienate Turkey. He argued that Turkey is already self-punishing through decreased investment and tourism and increased emigration.
Conversely, the Green party criticized the German government’s perceived inaction, arguing that strong criticism and impactful measures are needed. They specifically mentioned the approval of Eurofighter exports as potentially contradicting German support for democratic forces within Turkey.