Turkish-Led DAVA Party In Germany Puts Combatting Racism At Forefront

A political party led by Turks in Germany has drawn attention to rising racism and xenophobia in the country.

Addressing a news conference, Teyfik Ozcan, the head of DAVA, said: "As the Turkish community in Germany, we are now strong in every field. We are strong in sports, science, economy, and health and have influence there. We need to engage in politics to reduce racism and discrimination. "

He was flanked by DAVA's parliamentary candidates Fatih Zingal, Ali Ihsan Unlu, and Mustafa Yoldas for the upcoming European Parliament (EP) elections in June.

"That's why we established the DAVA Party. DAVA is a party that works for Turks and Muslims, and these issues are always on our agenda. We are working to combat them, and we expect support from the community," he added.

Ozcan said racism and discrimination in Germany has a pervasive impact across various aspects of life such as school, work, hobbies, and sports.

"For instance, the National Socialist Underground terrorist group murdered nine people. The 10th victim was a German police officer. Only after the killing of the officer, they intensified the investigation and solved the case. If not for that officer, it likely would've lingered on. Sadly, we lack a strong lobby, so they seek to divide us. German society, media, and politics aim to keep us weak, prevent unity, and silence us," he said.

He further said: "Politicians are aware of our significant potential here. As Turks and Muslims in Germany, we strive to build unity and solidarity. By continuing our work alongside respected figures in the Turkish community, I'm confident that with the support of the community, we can bring about substantial change in Germany."

Ozcan called for unity, saying: "Our strength and energy come from the community."

"Together, we can change things in Germany. If we continue separately, as we have for the past 60 years, little will change. We must harness our collective strength for our community, our children, and our youth to combat racism and improve our situation."

Rising racism in Germany

In the EP elections, DAVA's top candidate, lawyer Fatih Zingal, also stated that rising racism in Germany is one of the most important issues on their agenda.

Zingal said: "We have been fighting against rising racism for years, but when we look at German politics, there is a party called Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland, or AfD), and in some places, this party appears as the first party, meaning Germans are increasingly inclined to vote for them. We need to continue our fight against this, we need to persist."

"Racism is not just a concern for us, the ones directly affected, but for all of Germany," he said.

"Because racism can also affect Germans; they can also be subjected to it. They are hesitant and can no longer express their thoughts freely. However, initially, it directly affects us, our associations, our people, everyone."

Attacks on mosques are increasing, individual assaults on our citizens are on the rise, and citizens who appear Muslim, especially those who wear headscarves, are victims of these issues every day. These are our concerns, and we want to bring them into politics; we want to emphasize how important of a factor this is," he added.

DAVA to participate in EP elections

Ozcan stated that they collected approximately 14,000 signatures, surpassing the required 4,000, to participate in the EP elections.

He invited everyone to vote in the elections on June 9.

Ozcan highlighted that DAVA's formation extends beyond the EP elections, with ongoing efforts towards becoming a party and their aim to participate in state elections in Germany and eventually the general elections.

"DAVA came into being following 62 years of migration history. It's a party that will find its place in the political arena of Germany. We especially call upon the youth: Join us, support us, and we'll support you, fostering an atmosphere of unity and solidarity," he said.

Ozcan stressed their goal of boosting voter turnout, saying, "In Frankfurt, where half the population is of foreign origin, voter turnout in local elections is only 30% to 40%. We offer a vital alternative for those not voting. Elections are a potent weapon against racism and Islamophobia in Germany, and we must wield it." -