By Filipp Piatov and Peter Tiede
This number causes a stir: 65.4 percent of German-Turks and Turks voted for the autocratic President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (69) in the Turkish presidential election!
In other words, two-thirds of Turks living in Germany voted for a politician who is weakening democracy in his country, curtailing freedom of speech and the press, and pursuing a tough Islamist-nationalist course.
How can that be? In BILD, social scientist Ruud Koopmans (62, Humboldt University Berlin) gives the answers.
︎ “The approval of Erdogan is not a German peculiarity,” Koopmans clarifies. “The result in Germany is similar to the result in other Western European countries such as France, Austria or the Netherlands: 60-70 percent vote for Erdogan.”
Social scientist Ruud Koopmans (62, Humboldt University Berlin) Photo: picture alliance / Press and Economic Service
In France, 64.2 percent of Turks voted for Erdogan, in Austria it was 71.9 percent and in the Netherlands 68.4 percent.
Erdogan’s approval also has nothing to do with the fact that many Turks do not have a German passport, says Koopmans. “Politicians sometimes say that many German-Turks vote for Erdogan because they have no access to German citizenship,” the expert told BILD. “But that’s not true. In the Netherlands, almost all Turks also have Dutch citizenship, yet the majority vote for Erdogan.”
Approval greater in Germany than in Turkey
The origin of many German-Turks – different regions of Anatolia, which are traditionally very conservative – does not explain the high level of Erdogan approval. It is “conspicuous that support for Erdogan in Western Europe is even greater than in Anatolia.”
︎ Koopmans on BILD: “The Turkish community in Europe is very strongly oriented towards the country of origin. This is also being exploited by Turkey and the Erdogan regime.” Because: Erdogan relies on Islamist and nationalist propaganda, appeals to the patriotism of Turks abroad in order to promote himself.
During the election campaign, Erdogan presented a nine-point plan to win over the German-Turks. He promised to expand the services of the Turkish authorities in Germany. In addition, visitors should be able to use their mobile phones longer in Turkey and import their vehicles from Germany more easily. His pledge: “We will continue to protect you, our precious citizens, whom we consider our country’s representatives in the world.”
The Essen politics and Turkey expert, Prof. Burak Copur (45) Photo: picture alliance/dpa/private
The criticism of Erdogan also benefits the authoritarian president in Germany. The Essen political and Turkey expert, Prof. Burak Copur (45) said to BILD: “This is also a reminder and receipt election for Germany. The sign of the conservative Turks: ‘We will not accept what is being reported in Germany about our strong president.’ In their opinion, he is being demonized. In addition, many conservative AKP supporters feel discriminated against here.”
Koopmans also points to the influence of the Turkish government in Germany. Specifically: Ditib, the foreign department of the Turkish religious authority Diyanet, which reports to the Turkish president. Ditib runs mosques, is well connected within the German-Turkish community, and is considered the “long arm” of the Turkish government.
The Berlin scientist to BILD: “There is a strong influence of Ditib. The election campaign showed that Ditib is an instrument of the Turkish government. Erdogan was openly promoted on the Ditib side.”
Koopmans draws a bitter conclusion: “There doesn’t seem to be any movement towards pro-democracy and liberal views in the Turkish communities in Western Europe. On the contrary: their voting behavior is even more conservative than in their regions of origin. They are turning their backs on Germany and Europe, which is also a sign of failed integration.”