Strong criticism of Özil and Gündogan

Leading politicians have joined the criticism of the meeting between German national soccer players Ilkay Gündogan and Mesut Özil and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bundestag Vice President Hans-Peter Friedrich (CSU) told the Bild newspaper that it was strange to be “harnessed to the election campaign wagon of a foreign politician who recently made disparaging comments about Germany.”

CDU politician Wolfgang Bosbach sees it similarly. “Nobody expects our national players with a migrant background to deny their origins. But we should expect those who play for our country to know that it is not Erdogan, but Steinmeier who is their president,” said the former Bundestag member in the Handelsblatt: “It is more than just strange that both of them are acting in this way “pay homage to an anti-democratic, authoritarian ruler.”

The CSU tweeted: “Anyone who wears the national team jersey should commit to the values of our country and not campaign for despots who restrict press freedom and human rights.”

The right-wing populist AfD went one step further, whose parliamentary group leader Alice Weidel demanded: “Leave Özil and Gündogan at home” with a view to the World Cup in Russia.

FDP politician Oliver Luksic suggested the England legionnaires withdraw from the national team. “Whoever Erdogan and not Steinmeier is the president should not play for the national team,” the Bundestag member told the Handelsblatt.

Cem Özdemir, long-time federal chairman of Alliance 90/The Greens and, like Özil and Gündogan, of Turkish origin, told the SID on Monday: “The federal president of a German national player is called Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Chancellor is Angela Merkel and the parliament is called the German Bundestag. Instead of giving Erdogan this tasteless election campaign help, I would like the players to concentrate on playing football.” He advised Özil and Gündogan to “look up the terms rule of law and democracy again.”

The two midfield stars met Erdogan in a hotel in London on Sunday and presented signed jerseys from their clubs. Gündogan explained this with a gesture of politeness. On Tuesday at the Dortmund Football Museum, both will most likely be appointed to the national team's World Cup squad by national coach Joachim Löw.

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Strong criticism of Özil and Gündogan

Leading politicians have joined the criticism of the meeting between German national soccer players Ilkay Gündogan and Mesut Özil and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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