Friday

29th Mar 2024

Turkey to loom large in German election

A change of government in Germany in September to favour the Christian Democrats could spell trouble for Turkey's bid to become a member of the EU.

Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's decision to seek early elections after his party's regional election defeat on Sunday (22 May) has already prompted the CDU to let it be known that one of its campaign themes will be its opposition to Turkish EU membership.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

CDU politician Matthias Wissman, the head of the Europe committee in the Bundestag, told German daily FT Deutschland "We will tell people that the likelihood of full EU membership for Turkey is much much lower under a [CDU] government".

"Of course, Germany does not decide alone about [Turkey's] membership", he added "but Germany's weight in the EU means that a German change of position can also lead to a change in the EU's position".

Mr Wissman's position is not a surprise. The Christian Democrats have made no secret of their opposition to Ankara's full membership of the club arguing instead that it should have a "privileged partnership".

If the CDU does manage to get into government in September - and current polls give them a comfortable lead - it will be just days before 3 October, the day Turkey is supposed to formally open accession negotiations with the EU.

Germany is only one of the 25 member states in the EU, but it is the biggest, and could make things difficult by dragging its feet during negotiations with Ankara.

And while Germany's Christian Democrats are set to use the Turkey question in their election campaign, the issue has also played a role in the run up to referendums on the constitution in both France and the Netherlands.

Anti-constitution campaigners are saying that a yes to the constitution means a yes to Turkey's membership of the EU.

Ukraine slams grain trade restrictions at EU summit

Restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU could translate into military losses in their bid to stop Russia's war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned EU leaders during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us