Two players of Turkish origin stated that Germany was their country, President Steinmeier said.
Premier League footballers met Turkish president during his UK state visit
Two German footballers of Turkish heritage posing for photographs with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, have reignited a debate over dual citizenship and national identity in Germany, as the country embarks on a bid to defend its World Cup title.
Posing for photos with the Turkish president lands footballers Özil and Gündogan in hot water.
The meeting between German national football team players Mesut Özil and İlkay Gündoğan and the Turkish president continues to cause a stir in Germany. Photographs of the two presenting Erdoğan with jerseys were interpreted as a show of electoral campaign support for the AKP leader. For commentators the episode says much about the integration debate in Germany.
Turkey’s president turns to Bosnia for votes, after EU countries banned Turkey from campaigning among its diaspora.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has announced that it will send observers to Turkey to monitor the Presidential and Parliamentary elections on June 24.