Erdogan re-election: Scholz appreciates German-Turkish relations

Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid tribute to Germany’s cooperation with Turkey after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s election victory.

“Germany and Turkey are close partners and allies – we are also closely linked socially and economically,” wrote the SPD politician on Twitter in the evening. He also congratulated Erdogan on his re-election. “Now we want to push our common issues with renewed vigour,” says Scholz.

EU leaders congratulate Erdogan on election victory

Other EU leaders also congratulated Erdogan on his re-election. “I look forward to further expanding the EU-Turkey relationship,” wrote EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Twitter in the evening. It is of strategic importance for both the EU and Turkey to “promote these relations for the benefit of our peoples”.

EU Council President Charles Michel also congratulated Erdogan. “I look forward to working with you again to deepen EU-Turkey relations in the years to come,” he wrote on Twitter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also congratulated Erdogan on the election victory. “I congratulate the President of Turkey @RTErdogan on winning the presidential elections,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter. He is counting on further cooperation in the bilateral area and on strengthening Europe’s security.

Kilicdaroglu indirectly admits defeat

According to the state news agency Anadolu, after counting almost 99 percent of the votes, Erdogan came to 52 percent, challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu to 48 percent of the votes. Erdogan was able to win the runoff election. He will remain in office for another five years. Opposition leader Kilicdaroglu indirectly admitted defeat.

Around 61 million people were called to vote in Turkey. Eligible voters in Germany and other countries have already voted. Today is also the anniversary of the anti-government Gezi protests of 2013.