“Machiavellian” Erdogan lobbies to join EPP group

Date: 06/03/03

By Dana Spinant

TURKISH leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to create turmoil in the European People's Party group after announcing that he wants his ruling Justice and Development Party to become a member of what is Europe's most powerful political "family".

Some EPP members see this as a paradox: the EPP is home to most of Europe's Christian Democrats, while Erdogan's AKP has its roots in the Islamic tradition.

Others believe the Turk's application is nothing more than a "machiavellian" provocation.

Wilfried Martens, EPP president, confirmed to European Voice that he had discussed the AKP's membership with Erdogan during a visit to Ankara.

Belgium's former premier suggested that Erdogan should first discuss his application with Angela Merkel, leader of Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU), the largest EPP member.

The CDU has made no secret of its reluctance for Turkey to join the EU.

"I informed him that the procedure [to analyse the application] will be long, as it must pass through a working group on enlargement," said Martens.

"And I told him that, before I start the procedure, he must speak to Angela Merkel...both about the substance and about the procedure."

The substance refers to the compatibility between the EPP and Islamic AKP.

"Our Christian Democrat parties were confessional parties before the [second world] war, but they became secular. However, we still refer to Christian values," Martens said.

Indeed, the EPP's statute mentions the word "Christian" eight times in the first four articles and its preamble states that the party is based "on the Christian view of mankind and of the Christian democratic concept of society".

Erdogan wants to distance his party from its religious links, said Martens, adding: "He said his party is Conservative-Democrat."

The Belgian denied that it would be necessary to make changes to the EPP statute to allow the AKP to join, as articles 4 and 5 state the group is open to "parties which share its fundamental political ideas".

Nevertheless, the AKP may have a problem in accepting the EPP credo and its principles, he admitted.

For Martens, all now depends on the outcome of Erdogan's talks with the CDU.

If the Germans clear the way, the AKP could apply for membership of the EPP as early as this autumn.

After being examined by the working group on enlargement, an answer could then be expected - at the earliest - by the end of the year, but most probably in 2004.

However, the omens do not look good at this stage.

Hans-Gert Pöttering, chairman of the EPP-ED in the European Parliament and a leading CDU member, said it was premature to talk of AKP membership.

"Only parties of countries involved in accession negotiations with the EU can become members - and this is not the case for Turkey."

However, he stressed that the EPP was keen to have "a good dialogue" with the AKP and to develop a "privileged partnership".

He also suggested it was too early to make a judgement on compatibility between the two parties.

"Erdogan said his party is a sort of Christian Democrat party. Let's explore this and see what it means,"he added.

Other CDU officials warned that the AKP's request would open a challenging debate within the EPP.

"Germany and Luxembourg will have a problem with their application. This is a rather provocative step by Erdogan a machiavellian move," said one.

"He knows the EPP, or some factions of it, have a problem with Turkey's accession to the EU.

"By demanding to join the EPP, he obliges some members to either say openly "we don't want you because we don't want Turkey in the EU", or to accept it.

"And if the AKP becomes a member of the EPP, then the Christian Democrats cannot be against Turkey in the EU anymore," he added.

Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to create turmoil in the European People's Party group after announcing that he wants his ruling Justice and Development Party to become a member of what is Europe's most powerful political 'family'.