Rise of far-right parties in EP elections threatens Turkey-EU relations

Source:Daily Sabah Date:29May2019

In April, Salvini hosted members of European nationalist and far-right parties in Milan to discuss forming a broad political alliance within the European Parliament. Addressing the issue of Turkey’s accession to the European Union, Salvini said talks with Turkey, which have been suspended, should be canceled. Salvini said that he believes Turkey would be an Islamic influence in Europe and that the country is too different culturally. Salvini also pledged that they will cancel the accession process of Turkey to the EU if the new group wins a majority in the European Parliament. “The EU chooses to pursue sanctions against Hungary and Poland while giving billions [of euros] to Turkey. The path to accession should not be suspended, but instead definitively cancelled,” Salvini said.