The recent argument between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European nations has significant contextual consequences on social and geo-political issues. On Sunday, the diplomatic feud between Turkey and his NATO allies deepened. President Erdogan accused the Netherlands of fascism and Denmark joined the argument decrying the “rhetorical attacks against the Netherlands.”
The backdrop for this argument is the fact that both the Netherlands at the time and Turkey still has upcoming votes on fundamental issues for both Democracies. In Turkey President Erdogan is pushing for an April referendum that would expand his powers. In the Netherlands, the general elections were a hard fight between an extreme right hardline anti-Islam candidate and the incumbent centre- right Prime Minister. Erdogan aims to rally the estimated 4.6 million expatriate Turks living in Western Europe, many of whom are allowed to vote in the Turkish referendum.
Mirroring similar decisions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the Netherlands barred a plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from entering the countrey, citing securit concerns. The Foreign Minister wanted to address expats in support of the Turkish referendum. Following this barring, the Minister of Family affairs was sent to the Netherlands by car and in secret, and was similarly blocked from campaigning or entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. In response, protests broke out in both countries, and Erdogan responded by saying the Netherlands is “sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations” and
made the very offensive accusation that the country was Nazist and a remnant of the World War II German regime.
The focal point of Turkish endeavors under President Erdogan is the referendum that would change their government from a parliamentary, to a Presidential one. Given the past of Turkey, which was changed for the better by ‘Atta Turk’, whom is seen as the savior of modern Turkey, whom moderised, industrialised and seperated Church and State in the country, their is a cultural zeitgeist that appreciated a strong leader. Yet ironically, in
recent years President Erdogan seems to go against some of the core values of ‘Atta Turk’ such as democratic values and seperation of Church and state.
Critics of the referendum in Turkey call the move anti-democratic and say it’s indicative of Erdogan’s shift towards authoritarianism since the coup attempt eight months ago. Erdogan and his AKP ministers have said those who oppose the referendum stand with the coup plotters and Cavusoglu has promised tenfold retaliation against the Netherlands, mirroring Erdogan’s likening of the country to a “Banana republic”. Both have called for the sactions against the state according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. The dutch embassy and dutch diplomats in Ankara have been closed off from continuing their work and the ambassador has been told to leave the country. With Minister Cavusoglu saying “he need not return for a while.”
In the Netherlands, where immigration was a key point in the election, the Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said he does not think Erdogan was intent on upsetting the Dutch elections but that his ministers tried to force their way in to his country against the direct wishes of the Dutch government. According to Rutte, his government was in negotiation with Foreign Minister Mevlet Cavusoglu to speak at a small gathering in Rotterdam. During these negotiations Cavusoglu threatened unspecified action if he didn’t get his way. For Rutte, this was a step too far stating: “we stopped talks… when the Turkish Foreign Secretary started threatening us with sanctions.” At this point Cavusoglu was denied
permission to land at Rotterdam airport. Hours after this, another of Erdogan’s ministers tried to make it to Rotterdam to give a speech. Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya drove from Germany but was later escorted back to the border by dutch police. In response to this, populists nationalist Geert Wilders, who campaigned on an anti-Muslim agenda, tried to use to event to gain advantage in the election, tweeting to the Families Minister to “go away and never come back…and take all your Turkish fans from the Netherlands with you please. #byebye.”
Usually this would be a minor diplomatic argument, but in a post- Brexit, Trump and facts world Europe faces a round of elections where right-wing populist Nationalists such as Wilders and Le Pen thrive on protectionist and immigration based issues, pose an existential threat to the EU. With the EU needing to renegotiate with China in response to Trump’s isolationist policies, Eastern Europe becoming increasingly problematic and tensions rising between long-time allies the UK and the US over spying accusations, the Turkey question is increasingly important.
With Erdogan emerging as an increasingly influential figure, as a key partner on counter-terrorism and a needed ally for the US and Russia in Syria
and the floodgate for the Immigration crisis, his position to gain concessions from European powers has increased. At the same time his increasing tendency toward authoritarian characterists is a much larger worry for European nations.
In relation to EU membership, a long-term goal for Turkey which has not occurred due to certain areas such as freedom of speech and press, not yet living up to EU standards, President Erdogan’s recent political reforms and crack down on Professors, Journalists and political adversaries are turning out to be not only problematic, but a roadbloack for full EU membership.
Europerate 