Europe on edge: First reactions to 'absolute nullity' in Berlin

IŞIN ERTÜRK – STUTTGART

The court's ruling of absolute nullity has also caused alarm in the European press. The German public broadcaster ZDF has now clearly interpreted the process against the CHP as "the sidelining of political rivals." In the channel's news analysis, it was emphasized that the CHP has surpassed Erdoğan's AKP in all public opinion polls since the 2024 local elections. It was then noted that waves of detentions and arrests targeting opposition politicians have accelerated.

The following sentence in ZDF's broadcast shows that the tension on the Berlin-Ankara line is now reflecting much more harshly on European screens: "The judiciary here is clearly turning into the government's assistant. Political rivals are being pushed out of the system."

The channel warned that mass protests could erupt again in Turkey following the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu. Reminders were made of the protests last year, where tens of thousands of people remained on the streets for days. It was emphasized that the first calls for protest have already begun.

It is precisely in this atmosphere that the street protest in Berlin became one of the first major signs of anger in Europe.

JOINT DECLARATION FROM CHP MEMBERS IN EUROPE

A harsh tone was noted in the joint statement by the CHP Overseas Unions. The declaration stated, "We will not leave our ancestral home, the party that founded our Republic, defenseless against any judicial game, political interference, or attempt to usurp the will of the people."

While the statement emphasized that the CHP is a political movement born from the will of the people, it pointed out that interventions into the party's internal operations constitute an open attack on democracy and the rule of law.

The following expressions stood out in the declaration, which gave clear support to Özgür Özel and Ekrem İmamoğlu:

"We are supporters of the will for change that is growing under the leadership of our Chairman, Mr. Özgür Özel, and the struggle of our Presidential Candidate, Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu."

The stance in the joint statement by the CHP Overseas Unions clearly revealed the attitude of European organizations:

"The Republican People's Party cannot be taken over. The will of the people cannot be ignored."

STREET PROTEST IN BERLIN: "WE DO NOT RECOGNIZE ABSOLUTE NULLITY"

In the protest held in the evening in Berlin, the capital of Germany, CHP members and supporters met in Kreuzberg. The slogan "Shoulder to shoulder against absolute nullity" was chanted. Slogans in favor of Özgür Özel and Ekrem İmamoğlu were raised during the demonstration.

Former CHP Berlin President Kenan Kolat, in an exclusive statement to 12punto, said that the political consequences of the decision would be severe. Kolat emphasized that the issue is no longer just an internal matter for the CHP, but directly concerns the future of democracy in Turkey.

Stating that "If the law is functioning even slightly in Turkey, the Supreme Election Council (YSK) must reject this decision," Kolat argued that otherwise, the path would be opened for political parties to be directed by the judiciary.

Kolat also said that the step to be taken by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is critical. Stating that calling for an extraordinary congress together with Özgür Özel would strengthen the party, Kolat assessed, "If he attempts to redesign the party and acts like the chairman, he will go down in history as a divider."

Kenan Kolat's statements also recalled the crisis experienced in the past within the CHP's German organization. About four years ago, there were debates about "restructuring" in the CHP's European organizations, and harsh criticisms were raised that old unions were being sidelined through city organizations. Kolat was one of the names who had a trustee appointed during his presidency of the CHP Berlin Union.

Saying, "I do not accept the trustee or the nullity," Kolat said that a serious fracture and anxiety have formed in the CHP base in Europe.

CHP VOTERS IN EUROPE ARE ANXIOUS

CHP voters in Europe have been playing an active role in election processes for many years. With the referendum on the transition to the presidential system in Turkey, the ballot boxes established abroad have made political mobilization in Europe more visible. CHP organizations have been working intensively for years to transport voters to the polls. Election periods, when voters are transported by bus, mean great effort for organizations in Europe.

For this very reason, the emerging picture has created a deep shock among CHP voters in Europe. While the wounds of the crises experienced in the past through city organizations and unions have not yet fully healed, the fact that the CHP headquarters is now being dragged into the "absolute nullity" debate has created an alarm effect on the European base.

The street protest in Berlin stands out as one of the first signs of this anger.

"THIS IS A REGIME CRISIS"

The harsh statement by İbrahim Vural, one of the founders of the CHP Germany organizations and former President of the CHP North Rhine-Westphalia State Union, is also remarkable.

Vural said that Turkey is experiencing not only an economic crisis but also a crisis of law, conscience, and regime. He stated that broad segments of society, from journalists to students, mayors to artists, are under pressure.

"Today, the issue is not just a change of government. The issue is whether the state can establish a bond with the law," said Vural, arguing that the interventions against the CHP target the people's hope for change.

Using the phrase "those who speak the language of the palace," Vural also harshly criticized the declaration of people in prison as guilty without a court decision.

Giving the message, "We will not be silent. We will not abandon each other," Vural said, "If this country is to stand up again, those who stand against injustice will achieve it."

MESSAGES FROM THE EUROPEAN PRESS: "A DARK DAY"

The decision also found wide repercussions in the European press. The Swiss state broadcaster SRF wrote that the CHP has been under pressure for a long time. The report stated that hundreds of party members and numerous mayors have been detained, and that a power struggle between the Özgür Özel and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu axes continues within the CHP. Özgür Özel's statement, "I promise honor, courage, and struggle," was highlighted.

Germany's most influential weekly business magazine, Wirtschaftswoche, included the following assessment by political scientist Berk Esen:

"One of the darkest days in Turkish history is being experienced. The main opposition party is being sought to be transformed in an unprecedented way through the law."

In the news analysis on the magazine's website, while attention was drawn to the CHP's success in the 2024 local elections, it was recalled that Ekrem İmamoğlu is seen as Erdoğan's strongest rival. The report also included comments that after the operations against opposition mayors, the CHP leadership has now become a target.

BERLIN-ANKARA LINE AND EUROPE'S SILENCE

The German newspaper Die Welt evaluated the developments directly in a geopolitical context. The newspaper's analysis emphasized that Turkey's strategic importance for Europe has increased with the war in Ukraine and the crises in the Middle East.

It was stated that Western capitals are now approaching Turkey differently due to Ankara's control over the Black Sea, its possession of one of NATO's largest armies, and its role in European security policies.

The analysis pointed to the German government's approval of the Eurofighter sale and the German-Turkish government consultations that resumed after years. Because of this picture, it was commented that Europe remains more silent in the face of democracy and human rights violations.

For this very reason, all eyes are now on European social democrats. It is wondered what attitude the social democratic parties in Europe, which have issued statements of support for Ekrem İmamoğlu and made visits to him in prison until now, will take from now on.

The slogan rising in Berlin has already turned into a summary of the anger in Europe: "Absolute nullity is invalid."

However, the issue is no longer just the CHP's internal crisis or the legal debate in Turkey. The language of the European media is also hardening. It is noteworthy that German public broadcasters like ZDF are making direct comments that "the judiciary is turning into the government's assistant." A tone that takes an open political position, not just "concern," is now felt in the European press.

Because European capitals see this: political tension in Turkey could spill back onto the streets.

There is concern that a similar version of the mass protests that occurred after the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu could now emerge on a larger scale. The first calls for protest have already begun.

The reflection of this on Europe also seems inevitable.

In Europe, where approximately 7 million people of Turkish origin live, the estimates that the population of Turkish origin or with family ties to Turkey in Germany alone is close to 5 million show that political earthquakes in Ankara could find strong echoes on the streets of Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart.

If things get mixed up again in Turkey and mass protests grow, it is considered certain that Europe, and especially Germany, will have an extremely hot summer politically.

In short: The political earthquake in Turkey is no longer just Ankara's business. Indeed, the fact that Berlin, the capital of Germany, which is home to a population of nearly 200,000 with Turkish connections, was immediately drawn into this tremor as soon as the absolute nullity decision was issued is a serious indicator. It is possible to say that the German political class is uneasy about the possibility of unexpected movements.

News Source: 12punto