EU follows upcoming elections in Türkiye ‘very closely’

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - The European Union follows the upcoming elections in Türkiye “closely” as it is a “key partner” for the bloc, an EU official said on Thursday.

“Turkey is a key partner for the European Union in many different aspects and we are following the electoral cycle in the country and the upcoming vote very closely,” Peter Stano, the lead spokesperson on foreign policy, said at the European Commission’s daily news briefing.

He asserted that the EU finds it important that the elections would be “transparent and inclusive.”

The bloc also expects the vote to be “conducted in line with the democratic standards Turkey committed to,” including media plurality and “fair treatment of all political parties and candidates,” Stano added.

On Sunday, Türkiye will go to polls to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections.