Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Özdemir Set to Lead Baden-Württemberg as First Turkish-German Politician

3/9/2026

31 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Cem Özdemir (Green Party) is poised to become the first politician of Turkish descent to lead a German federal state after Green Party's victory in Baden-Württemberg.
Cem Özdemir was born in 1965 to Turkish "guest workers."
He identifies with Germany and rejects the idea that he needs integration.
He has held various political roles, including agriculture minister.
He has been a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

History

Historical Context

The Turkish Guest Worker Program, initiated in 1961, allowed over 2 million Turkish workers to migrate to Germany, significantly influencing its demographic landscape. Cem Özdemir, born in 1965 to a guest worker, now leads the Green Party in Baden-Württemberg, symbolizing a historic shift in Turkish-German political representation and ongoing discussions about integration and identity within Germany's diverse society.

1 of 2

Story summary

Cem Özdemir (Green Party) is poised to become the first politician of Turkish descent to lead a German federal state after Green Party's victory in Baden-Württemberg.
Cem Özdemir was born in 1965 to Turkish "guest workers."
He identifies with Germany and rejects the idea that he needs integration.
He has held various political roles, including agriculture minister.
He has been a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

1 / 2