German AfD MP visits Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus

On August 25, 2026, Maximilian Krah, a member of the German Bundestag representing the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, visited the Turkish-occupied areas of northern Cyprus. During his visit, Krah held official meetings with Ziya Ozturkler, the speaker of the assembly for the unrecognized regime, and UBP politician Hasan Tacoy in northern Nicosia. The visit was initiated upon an invitation from the Turkish-Cypriot side.

During the discussions, Ozturkler emphasized the purported isolation of the Turkish-Cypriot community and criticized a German parliamentary committee for twice rejecting invitations to visit. Krah argued that international resistance to his visit stems from a lack of desire for a resolution to the Cyprus issue, and he advocated for direct communication and international engagement for Turkish-Cypriots. Greek-Cypriot authorities have officially condemned the move as a provocative act, noting that such diplomatic interactions imply recognition of a state entity that remains illegal under international law.