Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rally after failed coup
Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rally after failed coupReuters

A spokesman for the German government announced on Monday that Turkey will not be allowd to join the European Union if it reinstates the death penalty, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the possibility in light of a failed military coup.

Turkey has been raising eyebrows in the EU, after Erdogan forcefully arrested thousands of military, judges and prosecutors possibly connected to the attempted coup. On Sunday, he announced that he is considering reinstating the death penalty for the leaders of the coup.

"Germany and the member states of the EU have a clear position on that: we categorically reject the death penalty," German government spokesman Steffen Seibert affirmed.

"A country that has the death penalty can't be a member of the European Union and the introduction of the death penalty in Turkey would therefore mean the end of accession negotiations."

Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004. Since then, it has been negotiating to enter the EU, although with little progress.

With pro-government protestors demanding that the coup leaders be executed, Erdogan said on Sunday that the government would discuss the measure with opposition parties.

Seibert continued: "Everyone understands that the Turkish government and the Turkish justice system must bring those responsible for the coup to justice, but they must maintain the rule of law, and that always means maintaining proportionality ...and transparency."

The tensions with Europe come after a senior EU official questioned whether the coup was in fact staged by Erdogan as a means of consolidating power.