Germany’s Baden-Württemberg Minister-President Cem Özdemir, who is of Turkish descent (and previously served as Germany’s Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture between 2021 and 2025, and briefly as Federal Minister of Education and Research), stated in a video posted on his X account on June 2 that he used the term “genocide” (Völkermord) to describe the historical events of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire.
Özdemir’s words
In the video, Özdemir said:
“What I am about to say is particularly important to me. Exactly ten years ago today, the German parliament finally recognized the genocide against Armenians and other Christians in the Ottoman Empire. It took me about a year of intensive persuasion efforts to make that happen.
The German Empire was then a brother in arms of the Ottoman Empire. That is why it was important for us to also speak about our own shared responsibility and the obligations that arise from it. I hope that one day relations between Türkiye and Armenia will resemble that of Germany and France today.”
Reactions on X
Although its representativeness is open to debate, the reactions to Özdemir’s post were largely negative.
Many users, of which a significant number of Turkish origin, responded sharply, accusing him of distorting historical facts. Some argued that Özdemir is inconsistent with speaking about the events of 1915, while remaining silent about Gaza. Others claimed that he was ignoring the country’s real problems and instead bringing unrelated issues onto the agenda.
Krah’s comment
Maximilian Krah, an AfD politician who has served as a directly elected member of the 21st German Bundestag and was a Member of the European Parliament between 2019 and 2025, wrote a post opposing Özdemir. He said:
“Özdemir manages not only to drag Germany through the mud, but Türkiye. Patriots of both nations should stand together to put a stop to people like him and defend the honor of our nations.”
Türkiye’s Vatan Partisi’s European Representative Deniz Yıldırım also issued a statement on the matter.
“Persistently discriminatory and vindictive”
Describing Özdemir’s actions and remarks as “persistently discriminatory and vindictive,” Yıldırım said:
“We are closely following Baden-Württemberg Minister-President Cem Özdemir’s persistent discriminatory and vindictive statements against Türkiye and Turks. The fact that an event at the Stuttgart Opera targeting Atatürk coincided with his appointment as minister-president, followed by his video message not only casts suspicion on millions of Turks living in Germany, but also damages Turkish–Armenian brotherhood in the social sphere.”
“Genocide is a legal concept”
Yıldırım emphasized that while the events of 1915 were deeply painful, “genocide” is a legal concept:
“Undoubtedly, the events beginning in 1915 involved great suffering. There was mutual violence and forced relocation. However, these events do not constitute ‘Armenian Genocide’ as a legal concept. This was determined in favor of Doğu Perinçek and Türkiye in the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in the case between Mr. Perinçek and Switzerland on October 15, 2015.
Discussions and discourses on the events of 1915 as a matter of history are protected under freedom of expression and debate. However, the existence of the crime of genocide cannot be determined by parliaments, associations, organizations, diasporas, political parties, or individuals. It can only be determined by a competent court ruling. And no such ruling exists to date. Genocide is a legal term, and we will teach this to Cem Özdemir and those like him.”
“We will defend the Turkish community”
Emphasizing “the strength of the Turkish community in Germany”, Yıldırım added:
“You will not be able to bow our society’s head with genocide defamation. Türkiye and the Turkish community will also secure politically and socially the victories they have already achieved legally. As the Vatan Party’s representation in Europe, we continue our long-standing struggle with determination against all forms of pressure in this regard. We will stand firmly against discourse that undermines social peace and fosters division and polarization. We will defend the honor, rights, and legitimate concerns of the Turkish community in Germany.”