The forthcoming elections in Turkey could become a crucial test for incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to recent surveys, the “Tagesschau.de‘ quoted, the candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu from the opposition alliance Cumhur Ittifaki would have a good chance of winning the election. During the election campaign, Kilicdaroglu promised to send Syrian refugees back to their homeland within a maximum of two years, emphasizing that this project was voluntary.
As “Tagesschau.de” reports, the Republican People’s Party CHP hit a nerve with many people in Turkey with this position. However, the goal of deporting 3.5 million people from Syria is unrealistic, explains political scientist Suat Özcelebi. It is more likely that the majority of the refugees will remain in the country.
Kilicdaroglu wants negotiations with Syria and construction of the infrastructure with EU funds
Should the CHP win the elections and govern the country, Kilicdaroglu’s government says it would try to take certain steps. This includes negotiations with the Syrian state and building the necessary infrastructure in Syria with the help of EU funds. According to “Tagesschau.de”, Kilicdaroglu also told two European ambassadors that Turkey under his government would meet all the conditions for EU membership, even if the EU did not accept Turkey as a member.
Another central concern of Kilicdaroglu is visa-free travel for Turkish citizens when traveling to the EU. According to the report, he wants to make this possible within three months after the elections. However, this is just as unrealistic, explains the political scientist Özcelebi. Some laws would have to be changed for visa-free travel, which cannot simply be done by presidential decree.
Visa exemption requires adjustment of the Turkish anti-terror law
One criterion for visa-free travel is the adjustment of the Turkish anti-terror law, which is directed against the banned Kurdish PKK and the Gülen movement, among other things. It is uncertain whether there will be a majority for such a change in the law in the Turkish parliament after the May 14 elections.
In the dispute with Greece over gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean, Kilicdaroglu also announced that his government would take a hard line similar to that of President Erdogan. According to diplomatic sources, however, the tone could ease in talks with a CHP government, the report says.
