Martin Hallander, the second name on the Christian Democrats’ list for the upcoming EU election, has previously been very critical of Turkish membership in the EU. In the lead-up to the election, he still maintains that Turkey, which holds the key to Swedish NATO membership, should not be allowed to join the EU. He also breaks with the government’s line that Turkey is a democracy. ”I would not call Turkey a full-fledged democracy at present,” says Martin Hallander in an interview with Aftonbladet. When the Christian Democrats go to the EU election next year, David Lega tops the party’s list. Martin Hallander, the former chairman of the Christian Democrat Youth Association, KDU, and currently a member of the Regional Council in Skåne, is second on the list. Hallander has long been active in foreign policy issues. As chairman of KDU, he helped shape the party’s manifesto for the 2019 EU election and worked on the party’s campaign. The manifesto contains a specific language about Turkey, which has on several occasions wanted to be part of the European community. In 2019, KD campaigned on the idea that Turkey, which now holds the keys to Sweden’s NATO application, should not be allowed to join the EU. ”EU accession negotiations with Turkey should be stopped indefinitely,” reads KD’s manifesto. Martin Hallander continues to stand behind this stance as he now wants to enter EU politics. ”The line I have traditionally held is to find other forms of cooperation. Maybe a close, privileged partnership,” says Martin Hallander in an interview with Aftonbladet. At the same time, the KD top believes that Turkey should be welcomed into cooperation with the EU if the country wishes. ”If Turkey wants to take closer steps to Europe and the West, it is something we should embrace and not push away from a European perspective.”
