MEP: With Erdogan as president, Turkey would risk drifting from European model

Member of the European Parliament, Marietje Schaake (ALDE/D66), is concerned about the course Turkey will take if the current Prime Minister Erdogan were to be elected as president in the August elections. Erdogan was nominated as presidential candidate today by the ruling party. Schaake: "Over the last years, Prime Minister Erdogan has chosen for an increasingly authoritarian approach. His harsh reactions to criticism, both within Turkey and outside it, have not helped to bring a democratic future for the Turkish people closer. The chances for Turkish accession to the EU decrease when centralisation of power is given precedence over democratic reforms." Russian practices Erdogan has already indicated that he is looking to strengthen the presidency. It has been suggested that the current president, Abdullah Gül, may switch places with Erdogan to become prime minister, mirroring the situation in Russia, when Putin and Medvedev traded positions. The presidential elections in August will be the first in which people in Turkey will be able to vote for their president directly. Since, December 2013, Turkey´s rule of law has been in deep crisis. The AK party has fallen out with an important previous ally, the Gülen movement,and the two have been locked in a power battle. Top AK functionaries, including Erdogan himself, have been implicated in corruption scandals. Schaake. "In this crisis, Erdogan has increasingly undermined fundamental freedoms. Press freedom and freedom of expression are under pressure. Aside from his campaign against Gülen, Erdogan has also unjustly accused the international community of seeking to undermine him and his country. These sorts of conspiracy theories are inappropriate and damaging to relations." Earlier, Schaake called for an independent international investigation into the rule of law in Turkey. "The polarisation in Turkey is so extreme that the two sides cannot solve it on their own. If Erdogan were to become president, a solution would not get easier." Europe Schaake wants the European Union to make clear that Erdogan and his party need to change course, if Turkey wants to move towards meeting the European accession criteria. Schaake: "It must be crystal clear that systematic undermining of the rule of law and ignoring fundamental freedoms is unacceptable and runs contrary to European values. The accession talks must be used as leverage to create a better life for the Turkish people. Human rights and freedoms must be at the top of the agenda in every contact with the Turkish authorities. In protests and demonstrations, the Turkish people have demonstrated that they pursue democracy and freedom." In the past, Schaake has called on the European Commission to send an election observation mission to Turkey.