"The Erdogan Party emerges victorious in three electoral districts of Duisburg"
In the European elections, the youthful party Dava experienced considerable success in three voting districts. They were firmly in control in these areas, boasting massive leads over their opponents. However, these outcomes can't be viewed as indicators of the party's overall strength, as they were influenced by a particular scenario at the location.
As reported by "Die Welt," based on information from the city, Dava won the European elections by becoming the dominant force in three Duisburg electoral districts. This is a small accomplishment for the young party, which is closely tied to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In electoral districts 1001 and 0602 and 0606, Dava emerged as the frontrunner, obtaining 41% and 43% of the votes, respectively. They outshined the AfD by 14% in the first district and the Left Party (BSW) with 12% in the second. In electoral district 0606, they were also victorious with around 25%.
Nevertheless, this only applies to a small aspect of the tale. According to "Welt," voter turnout was incredibly low in these electoral districts, standing at about 10% in electoral district 1001. It took just 90 votes in this district for Dava to claim victory, while in district 0602, a mere 47 votes secured their win. Both districts are situated in the neighborhoods of Meiderich-Beeck and Hamborn. The city of Duisburg estimates that 32.7% of its residents have a migration background.
These are exceptional cases. When considering the broader picture, Dava's triumph diminishes considerably. In Duisburg-Marxloh, Dava came in second place, garnering 17% and 221 votes. Here, the AfD took first place with 20%. In the neighborhood of Meiderich-Beeck, Dava achieved only 5.3%, attracting 928 votes. There are a total of 323 electoral districts in Duisburg. Consequently, Dava constitutes just 2.5%, which equates to 4,276 votes among 321,610 electorally eligible residents and 172,477 cast votes. Unable to gain a seat in the European Parliament, Dava lost the battle. Nationwide, they only managed 0.4%. Nurtured in the early months of 2024, Dava partook in its first countrywide election.
Advocating for Traditions and Language
Dava sees itself as an advocate for individuals with migration backgrounds, particularly Muslims, in Germany. They aim to foster a "more favorable image of Islam," endorse Turkish as a secondary foreign language, and uphold the significance of traditional family structures. The party's detractors accuse it of being connected to the AKP, a Turkish government party, and regard it as an extension of Erdogan within Germany.
The CDU Bundestag member Serap Guler of North Rhine-Westphalia equates Dava to the AfD: "Dava employs a similar victim narrative, asserting that Turks in Germany are being mistreated." The candidates of Dava maintained connections to organizations prohibited in the past. Fatih Zingal, their top candidate, served as the UID's spokesperson. The Union of International Democrats (UID) has been observed by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution since 2017 due to its alignment with the Turkish government.
Mustafa Yoldaş, Dava's third candidate on the list, was also involved in a banned organization in a multifaceted capacity. Previously, he headed the "International Humanitarian Aid Organization" (IHH). In 2010, the IHH was outlawed as it provided financial support to the terror organization Hamas. Yoldaş was also a member of the "Islamic Community Milli Görüş" (IGMG) as per "Welt." This group, as per the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, is working to influence the political system of Germany, promoting an Islamic fundamental and value order.
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- Despite their success in the European elections in three Duisburg districts, with 41% and 43% of the votes in electoral districts 1001 and 0602 respectively, the pro-Erdoğan party Dava only managed to secure 2.5% of the votes in Duisburg overall, falling short of gaining a seat in the European Parliament.
- The AfD, a far-right party in Germany, has criticized Dava, accusing it of employing a similar victim narrative and being an extension of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan within Germany.
- In the European elections, the AfD notably outperformed Dava in Duisburg-Marxloh, garnering 20% compared to Dava's 17%, emphasizing the limitations of Dava's victories in certain Duisburg districts.
