Merkel’s Austria Problem, Merkel’s Turkey Problem

The refugee crisis in Europe has upset the predictability of politics across the continent in a way that Turkish President Erdoğan and the Freedom Party of Austria have been able to exploit. German Chancellor Merkel is now in the highly uncomfortable position of having to deal with interlocutors with questionable values and of having to consider what happens if the refugee deal doesn’t stick.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Runoff vote in Austria [Lead-up to the 2nd Round of Presidential Election, 22 May 2016] http://www.europeansources.info/record/runoff-vote-in-austria-austrian-presidential-vote-goes-down-to-the-wire/

ESO: Background information: Time to start talking Turkey with Erdoğan http://www.europeansources.info/record/time-to-start-talking-turkey-with-erdogan/

Spiegel Online International, 13.05.16: Refugee Wrangling: Merkel's Deal with Turkey in Danger of Collapse http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/merkel-refugee-deal-with-turkey-in-danger-of-failure-a-1092331.html

Deutsche Welle, 23.05.16: [Opinion]: Merkel in denial over Erdogan http://dw.com/p/1ItGc

ESO: Background information: Austrian chancellor steps down after election drubbing http://www.europeansources.info/record/austrian-chancellor-steps-down-after-election-drubbing/

Euro|Topics: Debates, May 2016: EU and Turkey partner up in hard times http://www.eurotopics.net/en/159511/eu-and-turkey-partner-up-in-hard-times

ESO: Background information: Joint statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn on today's decision on Turkish Parliament on the lifting of parliamentary immunity http://www.europeansources.info/record/joint-statement-by-high-representative-vice-president-federica-mogherini-and-commissioner-johannes-hahn-on-todays-decision-on-turkish-parliament-on-the-lifting-of-parliamentary-immunity/

Spiegel Online International, 26.05.16: 'Disaster in the Making': The Many Failures of the EU-Turkey Refugee Deal http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/the-refugee-deal-between-the-eu-and-turkey-is-failing-a-1094339.html

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