The AKP’s Germany calculation

Disgraceful comparisons are made between Germany nowadays and the Nazi period. Even more disgraceful lies are strung together about the extensive nature of the freedom to hold rallies and protest marches in Turkey and great pains are made to emphasise that Germany has failed the democracy exam.
It is certainly true that Merkel and her government have proved incapable of managing the political crisis over visits by ministers, the prime-minister and maybe even the president, and have made a mess of it.

The Federal German Government, in common with everyone, can see that the unprecedented polarisation in Turkey has become even more intensified in the run-up to the referendum. All political parties and local authorities are scared of the uncoiling of a spring that has even led to ‘No’ supporters being branded as enemies spilling over into Germany and of tension that could go as far as violent clashes between the people of Turkish origin living there numbering in their millions. But the way to prevent this should not be through passing the onus of cancelling meetings to local authorities and auditorium proprietors. The knack of diplomacy exists for just such days and time, and Germany has not exhibited this knack.

OK.
OK, but what lies behind the AKP’s pushing and shoving to this extent and the tantrum it exhibits in saying, ‘We will go come what may; we can hold meetings and stage rallies in German cities come that may,’ to the extent of increasingly wrecking mutual relations?
It is impossible to account for this with reference to blarney about ‘national honour’ or the chap at the Palace thinking that tough talking is diplomacy.
These may perhaps be factors, but they cannot be the fundamental reason.
If so, then what?

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It is impossible for the ‘AKP Chief’, who has demonstrated his extreme adroitness with his calculations over this poll, the voters and votes, not to have seen what I, you and everyone sees.
With 16 April fever having taken hold everywhere, the opinion polls are sending alarm signals to the palace. The Chief’s future is on the line. In fact, there is a shortfall of one or two points and this means the presidential system will be binned.

So, each vote is worth its weight in gold and according to Supreme Election Council figures there are a full 1,408,550 (in words: one million four hundred and eight thousand five hundred and fifty) voters in Federal Germany. This amounts to a body of voters that could most certainly influence the outcome of this referendum. Winning their votes and getting them to cast ‘Yes’ ballots is of vital importance for the AKP gang leaders.

It is not easy to reach out to the – again according to Supreme Election Council figures – 2,867,658 voters abroad. Some of them are in America and others in Australia.
But, the AKP and its Chief will even declare war, let alone poison diplomatic relations, to be able to get the votes of and win over these large masses who are entitled to vote in Austria, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and, above all by a huge margin, Germany.