The leadership of the Greens is in favor of rejecting Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey’s elections on May 14, speaking of a “decision between dictatorship and democracy” and an “opportunity to return to democracy and the rule of law.” In a document approved by the party’s Federal Executive Committee and available to Der Spiegel magazine, the co-ruling party calls on those living in Germany and eligible to vote in Turkey to “work for the democratic process of change”. He even warns that EU accession negotiations with Turkey can only resume if Ankara “turns towards democracy and the rule of law”.

According to the magazine, co-chairs Ricarda Lang and Omid Nuripour are openly calling for a vote against the Turkish president: “With the parliamentary and presidential elections, after years of authoritarian leadership under President Erdogan, there is a real opportunity to return to democracy and the rule of law . We ask all people who live in Germany and have the right to vote in Turkey to take part in the elections on May 14 and work for the democratic process of change,” the text reads.

The Greens also strongly criticize the domestic policy of the current government, pointing out that political prisoners should be released immediately and that a dialogue and peace process should be started on the Kurdish issue, while regarding Ankara’s foreign policy, the text emphasizes : “We categorically reject the aggressive foreign policy of the Turkish government. We call on it to return to a multilateral foreign and security policy (…), based on values, human rights and international law.”

The Greens, however, warn Ankara about the prospect of restarting the accession negotiations with the European Union: “Discussions on Turkey’s accession to the EU can only be resumed if Turkey turns towards democracy and the rule of law”, they emphasize .

About three million citizens of Turkish origin live in Germany, of which about half have the right to vote. The electoral process for expatriates ends on May 9.