Incident during the visit to Turkey of the President of the European Council and the President of the Commission

Priority question for written answer  P-001863/2021/rev.1
to the President of the European Council
Rule 138
Assita Kanko (ECR)

At the meeting of 6 April 2021 at the Turkish presidential palace to discuss the future of EU-Turkey relations, a seat was provided for the President of the European Council on an equal footing with Turkish President Erdoğan, but not for the President of the Commission.

Given President Erdoğan’s track record of disdain for women’s rights, including Turkey’s recent withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, the seating for this meeting does not seem to be based on the order of precedence required by protocol, but rather on the male chauvinist attitudes of an autocrat.

Why did the President of the European Council agree to this course of events during this political activity with the Turkish President?