The European Union elections could prove vital for parties established to solve the problems of Turks living in Europe, according to a Turkish-German University faculty member.
"If voters are well-guided, many Turkish deputies can be sent to parliament. This would also be significantly impactful in making the voice of the Turkish diaspora heard in the European Parliament," Enes Bayraklı told Anadolu Agency (AA).
Bayraklı said that the diaspora still struggles with representation but underscored the opportunity for Turkish-origin candidates to participate in the elections.
Polls are open in 27 EU countries from Thursday to Sunday to elect 720 members of the parliament amid wars, immigration and climate change issues and concerns over big gains for hard-right parties in several countries like Netherlands and Belgium.
Continued racism, discrimination
Bayraklı also pointed out that the third generation of Turks living in European countries still faces social and professional discrimination despite being born there.
He noted that even successful Turks struggle to advance in their careers and are discriminated against both as "foreigners" and because of their religion.
"Due to the rise of far-right extremism, far-right terrorism and radical groups in Europe, a series of crimes starting with hate speech and extending to hate crimes and terrorism are being committed against the Muslim population and the Turkish diaspora," Bayraklı said.
He added that racism in Europe against non-Europeans has deep cultural roots, stressing that current attacks should be understood within this context.
Lack of representation
Bayraklı said that the Turkish diaspora has been organizing since the first generation to counter racist attacks, forming various associations, including mosque associations and fostering a rich social and cultural life.
He emphasized that Turks' unionization, particularly after the 1970s, contributed to their permanent settlement and, later, to their political involvement.
"Turks adapted to political life in Europe ... Especially after the 1980s, there was a desire or tendency to engage in politics within existing European political parties.
"For many years, Turks showed their presence in existing political parties in Europe, such as the Christian Democrats, Social Democrats or Greens. We don't see Turks in racist parties. Apart from that, they are present in all."
Bayraklı also noted that Turks faced political engineering when joining parties, often being filtered based on their ideologies.
He underlined that conservative or nationalist Turkish politicians were excluded by European parties and that some Turkish-origin parliamentarians who claimed to represent Turks but took a negative stance against Türkiye emerged from these parties.
Bayraklı added that around 65% of the Turkish diaspora holds conservative or nationalist views but lacks political representation due to this filtering by political parties.
‘Elections an opportunity’
Bayraklı said that Turks politically marginalized in Europe have tried to find alternatives to make their voices heard.
"When Turks in the diaspora cannot make their voices heard there, they prefer to engage in politics in Türkiye or start forming their own parties," he said.
He also said that the European Parliament elections starting on June 6 offer an opportunity for Turkish-origin politicians, who have a higher chance of being elected.
Bayraklı stressed that the new generation of Turks born in Europe believes they can make their voices heard through politics.
"There are serious problems regarding the political representation of the Turkish population in Europe. Turks still cannot vote in some parts of Europe," he said.
Bayraklı emphasized the importance of Turks voting in the European Parliament elections to strengthen representation through democratic means.
He viewed the establishment of Turkish parties in Europe as an enrichment of Western democracy.
"Turkish parties do not necessarily have to be successful in parliamentary elections. The important thing is that a political party is formed, has a political identity and presence and is part of the political process. The rest will follow. You may win a seat in elections, but whether you enter the parliament or not is another matter."
Lastly, Bayraklı highlighted that Turkish parties participating in the European Parliament elections would be crucial in voicing the social problems faced by Turks and that these parties would become more effective over time as they institutionalize.
"Turkish parties in Europe can mobilize a significant number of Turkish voters in the European Parliament elections.
"In the past, Turks were elected through existing parties, but the criteria I mentioned were at play there. We talked about institutional racism and structural racism. There is no quick solution to the problems Turks face; it requires a long-term struggle," he said.