"Erdogan has torn the country apart": EPP leader Weber is clear at "Lanz"

EPP boss Weber and ex-VW boss Diess argue on "Markus Lanz" about Turkey's role in Europe. Which is better: rapprochement or exclusion?

Hamburg - Manfred Weber is the party and group leader of the European People's Party (EPP). "The largest party in Europe," he emphasizes. Nevertheless, it is probably only known to those people who are more intensively involved in politics. This could well have been different from 2019, after all, Weber was the EPP's top candidate at the time. Ursula von der Leyen, a politician who was not on any ballot paper, was elected head of the EU Commission. "A serious defeat for European democracy," Weber said. The heads of state and government, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, did not want Weber, but instead von der Leyen.

Weber on "Markus Lanz": Election campaign in Turkey revolved around identity and religion

However, this should only be a side note. Rather, Weber, as EPP leader, was supposed to comment on the outcome of the presidential elections in Turkey, in which incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received 52 percent of the vote in the run-off election and narrowly defeated his challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. "First of all, given the high voter turnout, it is a democratic result that the Turks have given. This must also be respected," says Weber. The reason for Erdoğan's victory was the themes of "identity" and "religion", which were prevalent in the election campaign.

Markus Lanz – These guests will join the discussion on 30 May:

• Manfred Weber (CSU) – Head of the EPP
• Carolina Drüten – Turkey correspondent for Die Welt
• Felix Lee – Journalist
• Herbert Diess – former VW boss

Manfred Weber (CSU), head of the EPP © Screenshot: ZDF-Mediathek / Markus Lanz

Dealing with the West was also a major issue, especially "with the USA, Sweden, and NATO." Erdoğan has thus managed to retain his core voters. "In this respect, he has torn the country apart," Weber analyzes. Approval comes from the journalist Carolina Drüten. As a Turkey correspondent, she had the impression that the camp around Kılıçdaroğlu had been confident of victory until the end. The disappointment about the defeat is correspondingly great. And that could become a problem. There was already talk of it in the run-up, Drüten now confirms this: "It was a fateful choice. It wasn't just about politics, it was about the core of the people."

Expert Drüten expresses surprise at Erdoğan's re-election despite the crises

Drüten is surprised that despite the poor management of the earthquake catastrophe or the economic problems in Turkey, Erdoğan has hardly lost any support. Erdoğan is even continuing to insist on his policies. The logical question posed by Markus Lanz as to what will happen in Turkey is left virtually unanswered by Drüten: "It remains to be seen what happens next. In any case, it won't be easy."

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Lanz then raises the question of whether we might have a wrong image of Turkey. Former VW boss Herbert Diess reacts by calling for Turkey to be taken more seriously, because "Turkey is a European country". This really got the circulation of the other guests going. Diess calls for Turkey to be brought closer to Europe again. "This would reward Erdoğan's policies," warns Drüten. Weber, who diplomatically describes Turkey as a "very important partner", is trying to build bridges. He hopes that a new chapter can now be opened with Erdoğan. Nevertheless, Weber considers Turkey's EU membership, which has been discussed for many years, to be unlikely. "I don't think that's supposed to happen," he says.

Felix Lee on "Markus Lanz": The train has left in the case of Turkey

The journalist Felix Lee has long since ticked off the topic: "The train has left in the case of Turkey." However, he does not mourn this either: "We have to say goodbye to the fact that everyone is just hoping to get into the EU somehow." However, he does not see the fault in Turkey, but rather it is "a defeat of Western, liberal democracy". Lanz unpacks an interesting statistic to make it clear what role Europe will play in the future. "Europe will soon make up only six percent of the world's population."

When asked whether Erdoğan and Turkey still want to join the EU, Drüten does not give a clear answer. But she describes that the Turkish president has a considerable network: "He gets along with the Russians, with the Chinese, with the Europeans, with the Americans." A categorical rejection of EU accession would only harden the fronts and bring no advantage. Diess insists on formulating an appeal: "As Europe, we will only be convincing if we are the better society." To do this, you have to be well positioned technologically and economically.

Markus Lanz – The conclusion of the show:

An eternal topic. Does Turkey belong in the European Union? On the occasion of Erdoğan's re-election, some facets were examined again, without any significant new findings. That's why things will probably continue in the coming years in the same way as they have gone in the past. If there is no event of historic proportions, the impasse will continue. And regularly keep guests busy on talk shows. (Christoph Heuser)