19 Turkish-origin candidates enter German Parliament as Merz calls Türkiye ‘important partner’

Nineteen politicians of Turkish origin have been elected to Germany’s Bundestag following the country’s general elections, while Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between Germany and Türkiye.

Merz highlights Türkiye’s strategic importance

Merz, the CDU/CSU’s candidate for chancellor, stressed that Türkiye remains an important political and economic partner for Germany.

Speaking to Turkish-language broadcaster Metropol FM, Merz noted that he had originally planned to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last September but was unable to do so due to his nomination as the CDU/CSU’s candidate.

“Türkiye is an important partner for Germany both economically and politically. As a NATO member, Türkiye plays a significant role in regional security,” Merz stated.

However, he added that neither the European Union nor Türkiye appeared to be actively pursuing Türkiye’s EU membership at this stage.

“This does not mean that Europe and Türkiye cannot engage in closer cooperation. On the contrary, we must work on further strengthening political and economic ties between Germany and Türkiye,” he said.

Merz on migration and labor market inclusion

Addressing a question from a Metropol FM listener on discrimination in the labor market, Merz expressed support for regulated migration.

“Our goal is to promote regular migration while significantly reducing irregular migration,” he said.

He argued that uncontrolled migration leads to negative perceptions of immigrant communities, which in turn fuels xenophobia.

“Uncontrolled migration affects all immigrants, creating unjustified biases against them. This trend is particularly concerning as it is being exploited by far-right groups like the AfD,” Merz warned.

He emphasized that Germany must remain an open and migrant-friendly country while ensuring that its migration policies prioritize skilled labor.

Merz: ‘Migrants are an integral part of our country’

Merz reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to its diverse society and acknowledged the deep-rooted presence of Turkish-origin citizens in the country.

“I come from North Rhine-Westphalia, where I interact daily with people of migrant backgrounds. Turkish families have been living in Germany for three or four generations. People like my Bundestag colleague Serap Guler are an essential part of our society,” he said.

“Germany is their home, and we must ensure that they feel welcome and secure here.”

19 Turkish-origin MPs elected to the Bundestag

Following Germany’s general elections, 19 candidates of Turkish descent secured seats in the Bundestag for the 21st legislative term, according to provisional official results.

Among the elected MPs, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) secured seven Turkish-origin lawmakers, while The Left Party (Die Linke) also won seven.

The CDU and the Greens (Grune) each elected two, while the Christian Social Union (CSU) secured one Turkish-origin MP.

Elected members include:

• SPD: Hakan Demir, Metin Hakverdi, Macit Karaahmetoglu, Mahmut Ozdemir, Aydan Ozoguz, Derya Turk Nachbaur, Serdar Yuksel.
• The Left Party (Die Linke): Gokay Akbulut, Ates Gurpinar, Ferat Kocak, Cansin Kokturk, Cansu Ozdemir, Cem Hamit Ince, Mirze Edis.
• CDU: Serap Guler, Tijen Ataoglu.
• Greens (Grune): Ayse Asar, Filiz Polat.
• CSU: Hulya Duber, who became the party’s first Turkish-origin MP.

During the previous Bundestag term, 18 MPs of Turkish origin were elected.

Far-right AfD also fields Turkish-origin candidates

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which placed second in the elections, also included two candidates of Turkish descent: Bilge Leyla and Kerim Denis Erdem.

Erdem, in a recent interview with Main Post, described himself as “tolerant” and stated that “all ideas deserve to be heard.”