"Turkey to loom large in German election
24.05.2005 - 09:39 CET | By Honor Mahony
A change of government in Germany in September to favour the Christian Democrats could spell trouble for Turkey's bid to become a member of the EU.
Chancellor Gerhard Schr�der's decision to seek early elections after his party's regional election defeat on Sunday (22 May) has already prompted the CDU to let it be known that one of its campaign themes will be its opposition to Turkish EU membership.
CDU politician Matthias Wissman, the head of the Europe committee in the Bundestag, told German daily FT Deutschland 'We will tell people that the likelihood of full EU membership for Turkey is much much lower under a [CDU] government'.
'Of course, Germany does not decide alone about [Turkey's] membership', he added 'but Germany's weight in the EU means that a German change of position can also lead to a change in the EU's position'. "
More:EUobserver.com:Turkey to loom large in German election
