Erdoğan using Turkish communities in Europe to advance own agenda

Shaimaa Yahia

Turkish-European relations are deteriorating against the background of European fears from Turkey’s desire to expand its influence in the European continent.

Europe also fears from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s allusion to his desire to revive the Ottoman caliphate. The continent also has fears that Erdoğan can be working to promote extremism in European societies, making use of Turkish communities in European states.

Erdoğan is known to be using these communities in advancing his own vision. He also uses the refugees in blackmailing European governments.

Turkish communities have increased their presence in mosques and Islamic charities in European countries. The Muslim Brotherhood especially used these mosques as a political lobbying tool. Turkey also used the same mosques to spy on opposition figures. Nevertheless, Europe suffered a lot because of these activities.

Islamic centers, charities

The Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs is the largest umbrella of Turkish communities in Europe. The union is directly linked to Ankara. It oversees the work of 900 mosques, out of a total of 2,400 mosques in Germany.

Imams affiliated with the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs deliver the sermons in the Turkish language. They get their salaries from the Turkish government.

In 2018, the German government reduced the funding it gives the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs by 300,000 Euros. In 2017, the government offered the union 1.5 million Euros in financing. The government reduced funding to the union against suspicions about its activities.

Political parties

Turkish communities in Europe also play a role on the European political stage. This is how they also influence the outcome of general elections.

In Germany, the national intelligence agency expressed fears that one of the political parties was working to draw in supporters from among the members of Islamic communities in the country. It said the main player in this regard is a German citizen of Turkish origins.