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Turkey’s snap elections set to escalate tensions with Europe

Questions about the fairness of the June 24 elections and bans prohibiting Turkish politicians from campaigning in parts of Europe signal new strains ahead in Turkey’s relations with the West.
Turkish President and leader of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Recep Tayyip Erdogan greets the audience by making the four-fingers Rabia sign during the AK Party's parliamentary group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) in Ankara, on April 24, 2018. (Photo by ADEM ALTAN / AFP)        (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Ankara’s already strained relations with the West are heading for heightened tensions following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call for snap presidential and parliamentary elections to be held June 24. At issue are bans in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands prohibiting Turkish politicians from canvassing expatriate Turks there and the possibility that other EU members might follow suit.

The stances by Austria, Germany and the Netherlands are significant, as they host most of the more than 3.5 million Turks living in Europe. Ankara’s ties with them took a nosedive last year after they prevented members of the Turkish government, including by force in the Netherlands, from holding rallies prior to the highly controversial Turkish constitutional referendum in April 2017. The government-proposed referendum resulted in a slim majority, with overwhelming support by expatriate Turks, overturning Turkey’s parliamentary democracy in favor of an executive presidency.

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