By Ozan Ceyhun, Daily Sabah
Turks in the EU and Turkey are concerned about the steps their country might face from the newly-elected European Parliament.
It is, however, rather early to comment on this matter. First of all, we need to wait for the end of the difficult and complex negotiations that the groups within the European Parliament are going to have in June. Following these hard negotiations, the president of the European Parliament, the presidency council, commissions and committees will be determined. Apart from the commissions and committees, another important question on the Parliament’s Turkey rapporteur is also going to be answered. Similarly, the EU Commission has to be elected by the European Parliament in July and is also important – for example, who is going to be the EU Commissioner responsible for EU expansion?
Generally speaking, the European Parliament groups’ views regarding Turkey are known. The European People’s Party (EPP) German and French members of the Parliament are advocating a prerogative partnership with Turkey. Within this group there are MEPs that want to end the negotiations with Turkey altogether and also there are members of parliament who want negotiations to restart for the benefit of the EU, in the event where the required reforms are to be performed.
Within the Social Democrats (S&D), Liberlas (ALDE) and Greens those who want negotiations to continue in the event of reforms, required by the parliament are to perform in Turkey, are in the majority.
The far-left populist GUE/NGL on the subject of Turkey advocates the views of the PKK terrorist organization. The groups where far-right populist views are advocated or on the same page with them (EFDD, ENF and ECR) are opposed to Turkey’s EU membership. In reality, far-right and far-left are like a single group on this matter.
In short, the European Parliament’s decisions on Turkey and its appointment of certain positions are connected to coalitions and collaboration between groups that will be formed in June. The approach of the coalition that forms the majority toward Turkey will be determinative. This majority will also be important when it comes to the appointment of EU Commission members. Our wish is the formation of the healthiest “coalition” in regards to EU-Turkey relations. At first, the encouragement of a healthy dialogue will be the best approach.
In the new European Parliament, the number of Turkish-descent members has increased. In addition to three members of Turkish origin from Germany and one from France, there is also one Cypriot Turk from Southern Cyprus and another member of Turkish-descent from Bulgaria. In essence, six members of the Parliament are of Turkish origin and can engage in politics in different groups.
İsmail Ertuğ, who has been elected a third time, is a well-known member of the Parliament. Ertuğ, a social democrat from the SPD, is from Germany’s Bavaria. He is especially well-known for his successful work in the field of transportation.
Engin Eroğlu is from Germany’s “Freie Waehler” (Free Voters) party and he is the party’s Hessen Organization president. Eroğlu is a young politician who has sympathy for Turks living in Germany.
Özlem Alev Demirel is the third name to be elected in European Parliament from Germany. She has become a member of parliament as the first-row candidate of the Left Party. From France, Agnes Evren has been elected. Evren was a candidate from Macron’s party La République en Marche (LREM).
Niyazi Kızılyürek, who has been elected to the European Parliament as a member of AKEL from South Cyprus, is a Cypriot Turk academic that has been living in Southern Nicosia for many years.
Kızılyürek, however, is not backed by the Turks living in the north part of the island and only received around 4,000 votes from the 80,000 Turk Cypriot voters that are living in the north of the Island.
The Cypriot Turks justifiably did not participate in the election of an MEP that is representing Southern Cyprus. Especially the fact that AKEL was among the parties that did not accept the Annan Plan in the past had a powerful impact. In addition, AKEL’s membership position in the far-left populist GUE/NGL group within the European Parliament is another subject that angers Cypriot Turks. The GUE/NGL is an assembly group within the European Parliament that is not only despised by Turks but also Muslims due to its anti-Turkey, Turk and Muslim opposing status that is on par with far-right populist parties. This group’s struggle to take the PKK terrorist organization out of the list of terrorist organizations, which the PKK is a part of, is justifiably drawing the ire of all democrats that advocate democracy and human rights. It is very natural for Niyazi Kızılyürek, who was elected as a candidate of such a party and group to not have the Cypriot Turks’ support. In reality, AKEL also does not expect him to act as a Cypriot Turk but expects him to act as a Cypriot Greek MEP.
As it is seen, the newly elected European Parliament is going to have many interesting developments. We will be watching.
