A higher election board in Turkey has ruled out reviewing its decision not to allow Turks living abroad to cast their votes in their countries of residence for upcoming general elections in June.
The Supreme Election Board (YSK) rejected on Wednesday an appeal by the ruling Justice and Development Party to scrap the board’s decision, which has drawn heavy criticism from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"This is a slap in the face to our citizens’ right to vote. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there is no problem on Germany?s part. The YSK made that decision while I was discussing the issue there [in Germany]. Are you sabotaging me? The YSK openly violates our expatriates right to vote," Erdogan said last week.
There are over 1.3 million Turkish voters in Germany alone with nearly 1.2 million others residing in countries such as France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
However, only about 10 percent of them make the effort to go to the border to cast their vote.
Germany has cleared the way for its Turks to cast their votes in Turkish embassies and consulates there.
Turkish expats will have to go to the ballot boxes at custom gates.