Turkey seeks approval for polling stations in Germany

BERLIN – Anadolu Agency

Turkey has made a formal request to Germany to set up polling stations at Turkish consulates in the country for the June 24 early elections, officials said on April 23.

Around 1.4 million Turkish immigrants living in Germany are eligible to vote in the snap parliamentary and presidential elections.

If the German authorities positively respond to Ankara’s request, Turkish immigrants will cast their ballots from June 4-17 at Turkish consulates and other polling stations, officials have said.

In the event of a second round of voting in presidential elections, Turkish citizens will be able to cast their votes from June 30 to July 4, according to officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

In April 2017 more than 697,000 Turkish immigrants in Germany went to the polls in the constitutional referendum on shifting Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system. Voter turnout was 49 percent.