Duitse oppositie dreigt met veto tegen Turks lidmaatschap (en)

The German conservative opposition may make its consent to the EU Constitution dependent on the right to veto Turkey's accession to the EU, according to German media.

Politicians belonging to the conservative CDU/CSU, which is against Turkish EU membership, on Monday (21 June) demanded that the decision on whether or not to open accession talks with Ankara would be subject to a two-thirds majority vote in the German Parliament's Lower House.

This would enable the conservatives to block the start of official EU negotiations with Turkey.

It was suggested that the demand would be a precondition for CDU/CSU support for the EU constitution in the Upper House - where the party enjoys a majority.

Conservative MP Peter Altmaier said: "With previous [EU] treaties the Upper House has always pushed its demands against the government. Therefore, it is legitimate that the Lower House now issues its demands as well".

According to German media, the CDU spokesman for EU affairs, Peter Hintze, made a similar connection between the question of Turkish membership and conservative support for the EU Constitution.

Mr Hintze told Die Welt that it was crucial to block the opening of accession talks with Ankara - in order to avoid the country joining the EU at a later date.

"The decision on actual EU membership for a country is often taken at the start of accession talks and not at the end of these talks", said Mr Hintze.

The liberal party leader, Guido Westerwelle, attacked the conservatives' "unreal connection" between the Constitution and Turkish EU membership.

Conservative political momentum

It is generally expected that the traditionally pro-European CDU/CSU will support the EU Constitution even if it does not get the chance to veto the start of EU membership talks with Turkey.

But the conservatives, which won a landslide victory over the governing social-democrats in the European elections, may use their political momentum to try and secure concessions from the government.

After the release of a crucial report on Turkey by the European Commission in October, EU leaders will decide in December whether or not to start formal accession negotiations with Ankara.