The Controversial Stance of Turkey’s Ümit Özdağ: From Anti-Refugee Sentiments to Alleged Ties with Syria’s Assad
Watan – In the wake of the exclusion of Turkey’s opposition party, the Victory Party, from the list of parties allowed to contest in the legislative elections of April 2022, political opposition figure Ümit Özdağ has been consistently adopting extreme stances, often described as “racist,” against refugees. The refugee issue became a significant factor influencing Turkish voters in the recent elections, with increasing demands to repatriate Syrians to their homeland.
Özdağ, on one occasion, addressed President Erdoğan, suggesting he would forcibly send refugees back if necessary. He also mentioned putting an end to immigration and returning people to their homelands. Turkey hosts the largest number of refugees globally, with over 3 million Syrians under temporary protection. However, many Syrians live there unofficially, along with irregular migrants from Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
For months, Özdağ has been actively posting content on his Twitter account, followed by nearly a million people, that incites against refugees. His party, which had only two representatives in the Turkish parliament before the recent elections, is classified as the most racist against refugees.
Özdağ’s extreme views culminated in his open acknowledgment of funding and producing the racist film “The Silent Invasion,” which directly incites against refugees. The film portrays Istanbul in ruins after Syrians take over everything, with a Syrian-origin individual ruling the country.
According to a report by the Nordic Monitor strategic studies website, the far-right, anti-Western, and racist Turkish politician Ümit Özdağ has long been an agent in Turkey’s “deep state.” This term refers to secret nationalist elements within the Turkish military, police, and intelligence agencies that operate with impunity to manipulate public opinion and shape policy.
The 62-year-old politician, who now leads the far-right Victory Party, has a history of close collaboration with the military establishment. He is also known for his ties to the Syrian regime and attempts to get closer to it. However, the Syrian regime snubbed him by preventing him from entering its territories, causing disappointment.
While Özdağ’s primary focus is on Syrian and Afghan refugees, whom he advocates expelling, he openly supports several other controversial ideas. These include closing the Incirlik Air Base to US and NATO forces, establishing a government in exile for Turks in Western Thrace in Greece, and activating the long-range Russian S-400 missiles purchased from Moscow.
