Anxious look at Ankara: Turkey's election is a headache for Greece

Greece has little hope of a change of course in the Turkish elections. © IMAGO/Murat Kocabas

In the elections in Turkey on Sunday, Greece will be watching very closely. But the outcome of the election gives the neighbouring country little hope – no matter who wins.

Ankara – While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened Greece with a military attack last September, the conflict seems to have calmed down in the short term – despite the heated election campaign in Turkey. Erdoğan usually leaves out hardly any situation to provoke the neighboring state, also to distract from domestic problems.

But after the earthquake on February 6 that left tens of thousands dead in Turkey and Syria, Athens immediately pledged support with relief measures. Since then, the tone has become milder. But many fear that this will change abruptly after the parliamentary and presidential elections on Sunday.

Turkey elections 2023: No great hope for change in the event of a change of power

It is likely that Erdoğan, should he be re-elected in the 2023 Turkish elections, will return to his aggressive tone towards Greece. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Open TV about the upcoming Turkish election, saying: "I welcome the relative improvement in the climate after the devastating earthquakes in Turkey, but I have no illusions. Turkish politics will not change overnight."

Opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu also does not inspire hope for change among many Greeks. Diplomatic relations could improve, but there is little belief in a change in content, writes Politico.

Ongoing point of contention between Turkey and Greece: the Greek Mediterranean islands

The regional Turkish-Greek trouble spots in the Mediterranean, such as Cyprus, the drawing of maritime borders and the dispute over gas deposits, are likely to remain points of conflict between the two NATO countries – even in the event of a possible change of government. Turkey makes territorial claims and demands the demilitarization of the Greek Aegean islands – while Greece invokes its right to self-defense despite violating international treaties. This line could remain in place even in a government under the Kemalist opposition party CHP and allow the permanent conflict to continue.

But new elections will soon be held in Greece as well: parliamentary elections will take place there on 21 May, which means that a joint restart between the two countries cannot be ruled out. (eike)