Turkey's political landscape is shifting again. Özgür Özel, who was removed as leader of the main opposition CHP party by a Turkish court in May 2025, has announced he will found an entirely new political party. Political analysts suggest this new formation could immediately become the largest opposition bloc in the Turkish parliament, drawing members and voters away from the CHP. For Germany's Turkish-origin community — estimated at around 1.4 million Turkish nationals plus millions more with Turkish heritage — political changes in Ankara are rarely just background noise. They can have real consequences for travel documents, dual citizenship status, and the broader relationship between Germany and Turkey.
Özgür Özel rose to lead the CHP, Turkey's oldest and largest opposition party, positioning it as the main democratic challenge to President Erdoğan's AKP government. In May 2025, a Turkish court ruled to remove him from the party leadership — a move widely criticised by opposition figures and international observers as politically motivated judicial interference.
Rather than step back from public life, Özel has responded by announcing the creation of a brand-new party. Given his existing network, name recognition, and the broad dissatisfaction within parts of the Turkish electorate, commentators believe the new party could attract significant parliamentary representation very quickly, potentially overtaking the CHP itself in size.
Germany is home to one of the largest Turkish diaspora communities in the world. This community has deep and ongoing ties to Turkey — family visits, property ownership, business connections, and cultural identity all keep these links active. Here is how shifts in Turkish politics can ripple into daily life in Germany:
Travel documents and consular services: The Turkish consulates in Germany — which handle passport renewals, birth registrations, and notarial services — operate under the authority of the Turkish government. Significant political instability or government changes in Ankara can affect processing times, fees, and required documentation. It is worth monitoring official consulate announcements if you have a document renewal coming up.
Dual citizenship: Germany now allows dual citizenship in many cases, and many Turkish-Germans hold or are considering Turkish-German dual nationality. However, Turkey's own rules on dual citizenship have fluctuated over the years depending on the government in power. A major shift in the Turkish political balance could eventually lead to policy reviews on this front in Ankara.
Family reunification: For expats in Germany who have family members in Turkey hoping to join them, the political and economic climate in Turkey directly affects how urgently family members may seek to move. Periods of political uncertainty in Turkey have historically increased applications for family reunification visas to Germany.
Asylum and protection status: Some individuals in Germany hold protection status that is partly based on political persecution risks in Turkey. Changes in the political environment — whether for better or worse — can influence how BAMF and German courts assess those risks during reviews of residence permits.
At this stage, Özel's party is newly announced and has not yet formally constituted itself or fielded candidates. The coming weeks will clarify its political platform, its position on key issues affecting the diaspora (such as dual citizenship rights and relations with EU countries), and how much parliamentary support it can realistically secure.
Germany's Federal Foreign Office and BAMF do not typically change procedures based on opposition party announcements alone. However, if Turkey's political situation becomes significantly more unstable, it could have downstream effects on travel advisories, visa issuance timelines between Germany and Turkey, and asylum decision benchmarks.
Not immediately. Turkish consulates in Germany continue to operate under current government authority regardless of opposition party activity. However, if you have a passport renewal or other consular appointment due in the next few months, book it as early as possible — consular appointment slots can become limited during periods of heightened political activity or public interest.
It is too early to say. Turkey's dual citizenship policy is set by the government in power, not the opposition. A new opposition party — even a large one — does not change government policy unless it eventually forms a governing coalition. Watch this space over the longer term, but no immediate changes are expected.
Visa processing for family reunification is handled by German authorities and follows established legal criteria. Turkish political developments do not directly alter these criteria. Processing times, however, can be affected by broader administrative pressures. Contact your local Ausländerbehörde or a qualified immigration lawyer if you have a pending application.
BAMF reviews protection status cases based on the overall situation in the country of origin. A shift in the opposition landscape alone is unlikely to trigger immediate reviews. If your status is due for renewal, consult a qualified lawyer or a recognised migration advice centre (Migrationsberatung) well in advance.
Turkey's political future remains in motion. While Özel's new party announcement does not require immediate action from most members of the Turkish community in Germany, it is a development worth following — particularly for those with pending document renewals, active family reunification processes, or asylum-related residence permits.
Stay informed through reliable sources, keep your documents up to date, and consult your local Ausländerbehörde or a migration lawyer if you have specific concerns about how political changes in Turkey could affect your situation in Germany.
Source: Tagesschau
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