Turkish Politician Cem Özdemir Criticizes Erdogan Following Imamoglu’s Arrest
Cem Özdemir, a German politician of Turkish origin and a member of the Green Party, has made serious accusations against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. In an interview with the German news magazine Spiegel, Özdemir stated that Erdogan is afraid of elections, even if they are unfair and that the Turkish president is frightened by strong opponents like Imamoglu, who stand for freedom and a pluralistic society.
The still-serving Minister of Agriculture and Research emphasized that Erdogan is afraid of losing and that the Turkish president is using the fact that the West is dependent on Turkey’s NATO membership to his advantage. Özdemir claimed that Erdogan is following a script of authoritarianism, adding that those who pose a threat to him end up in prison. The politician expressed his concern that the West’s reliance on Turkey might make it blind and deaf to Erdogan’s actions.
Jürgen Hardt, the foreign policy spokesperson of the European Union’s Christian Democratic Union, also expressed his concern, saying that the arrest of Imamoglu is another escalation of Erdogan’s fight against the opposition and that the judiciary is being instrumentalized to target prominent representatives with broad public support. Hardt hopes for a pluralistic and democratic Turkey, a closer partner to Germany and the European Union, but the current development does not bode well.
Serap Güler, a Christian Democratic Union defense politician, referred to Imamoglu’s arrest as a kind of coup, saying that the events are causing great concern. She claimed that the charges against the CHP politician are fabricated and that a massive pressure is being exerted on the opposition and opposition figures, which cannot be justified by constitutional and democratic standards. Güler called on all levels in Turkey to ensure a return to the rule of law.