There are around 3 million ethnic Turks in Germany, and German Green and Parliament member Cem Ozdemir is one of them. This weekend he was elected co-leader of the German Greens to serve along with Claudia Roth. Ozdemir is the first German politician of foreign descent to ascend to the leadership of a political party in Germany.

From Hurriyet:

“What is important for me is not my election as a person of Turkish origin but my election despite this fact. Whatever one’s roots are they can be elected,” he said. “I want to invite all to be engaged in politics. I come from a working class family. If I could achieve this triumph others may well succeed as well. Every segment is part of our society.”

From the International Herald Tribune:

“I want a society where everyone has an equal chance, regardless of where they come from,” Ozdemir said in his acceptance speech at the Greens’ congress in the central city of Erfurt.

Hurriyet
International Herald Tribune
BBC