Sixty years ago, no science fiction writer could have predicted that the descendants of Turkish guest workers, who had just arrived in the country, would one day lead an entire federal state, reports Todayinfo.
Today, the Baden-Württemberg Landtag elected Cem Özdemir as Prime Minister. He secured 93 out of 157 votes.
His father came from Tokat, and his mother from Istanbul. Both were engaged in manual labor: his mother was a seamstress in her own atelier, while his father worked shifts in several factories. Özdemir was considered a "difficult student" in school, and neighbors often helped him with homework.
In the regional parliamentary elections held in March, the Green Party secured first place. A coalition was formed with the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) party.
Thus, Özdemir became the head of a region where the headquarters of giants like Mercedes, Porsche, and Bosch are located. The journey from his parents' factory floor to the office of Minister-President spanned just one generation.
It is clear that Özdemir is the first to pave this path, but certainly not the last. The face of German power is changing slowly but irreversibly:
- Jews who arrived in the 1990s have already formed a second generation of lawyers, doctors, and politicians.
- Ukrainians who settled after 2022 may produce their first deputies by the 2040s.
- The turn for Syrians will come a little later: their initial situation was more challenging.
Turks waited 63 years for this moment. Others will cover this distance faster and, perhaps, reach even greater heights.
There is also hope that representatives of the Kazakh diaspora in Germany will find their place on the political stage in the future. For instance, Symbat Serikova, originally from Shymkent, is currently working in the Bundestag.
