{{Short description|Swedish politician (born 1971)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Mehmet Kaplan | image = File:Mehmet Kaplan 2.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|7|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Gaziantep, Turkey | death_date = | death_place = | office = Minister for Housing and Urban Development | term_start = 3 October 2014 | term_end = 18 April 2016 | monarch = Carl XVI Gustaf | prime_minister = Stefan Löfven | predecessor = Stefan Attefall | successor = Per Bolund <small>(acting)</small> | constituency = | office2 = Member of the Swedish Riksdag<br />for Stockholm Municipality | term_start3 = 2 October 2006 | term_end3 = 29 September 2014 | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | constituency3 = | party = Green Party | occupation = | majority = | relations = | spouse = | children = | website = | footnotes = }}
'''Mehmet Güner Kaplan''' (born 18 July 1971) is a Swedish politician of Turkish origin<ref>{{cite news|title=Hürriyet Daily News {{!}} Haber Detay|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-politician-appointed-as-minister-in-new-swedish-cabinet-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=72505&NewsCatID=351|accessdate=4 May 2016|work=www.hurriyetdailynews.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506194234/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-politician-appointed-as-minister-in-new-swedish-cabinet-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=72505&NewsCatID=351|archive-date=6 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> who served as Minister for Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2016. He is a member of the Swedish Green Party.
Kaplan resigned from the Cabinet after controversy regarding ties to Turkish nationalist movements and Turkish government. He came under increasing pressure after local media published photos of him at a dinner with Turkish ultranationalists, including the Swedish head of the extremist Grey Wolves organisation, and a former leader of the main Turkish nationalist group in Sweden, who called on Turks to kill Armenians.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Henley|first1=Jon|title=Sweden's housing minister resigns amid 'extremist links' row|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/18/swedens-housing-minister-resigns-amid-extremist-links-row|accessdate=4 May 2016|work=the Guardian|date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502060108/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/18/swedens-housing-minister-resigns-amid-extremist-links-row|archive-date=2 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Life and career== Kaplan was born to a Turkish family in Gaziantep, Turkey; he migrated to Sweden at age 8.<ref name="KillTheArmenian Dogs">{{cite news|last1=Henley|first1=John|title=Sweden's housing minister resigns amid 'extremist links' row|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/18/swedens-housing-minister-resigns-amid-extremist-links-row|accessdate=3 May 2016|work=The Guardian|date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502060108/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/18/swedens-housing-minister-resigns-amid-extremist-links-row|archive-date=2 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ntv.com.tr/dunya/israil-yardim-gemilerini-vurdu,83rTZ1czjkGZhznPbK--Cw |title=İsrail yardım gemilerini vurdu | NTV |access-date=2016-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507150219/http://www.ntv.com.tr/dunya/israil-yardim-gemilerini-vurdu,83rTZ1czjkGZhznPbK--Cw |archive-date=2016-05-07 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/18/swedens-housing-minister-resigns-amid-extremist-links-row |title=Sweden's housing minister resigns amid 'extremist links' row | World news | the Guardian |website=TheGuardian.com |date=18 April 2016 |access-date=2016-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161205013956/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/18/swedens-housing-minister-resigns-amid-extremist-links-row |archive-date=2016-12-05 |url-status=live |last1=Henley |first1=Jon }}</ref>
He was a member of the Riksdag (2006–2014) and before that spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Sweden (2005–2006){{citation needed|date=April 2016}} and Young Muslims of Sweden (2000–2002).<ref name=":02">{{Cite book|title=Islam och muslimer i Sverige : en kunskapsöversikt|author=Larsson, Göran|date=2014|publisher=Nämnden för statligt stöd till trossamfund|others=Sverige. Nämnden för statligt stöd till trossamfund.|isbn=9789198061161|location=Bromma|page=93|oclc=941538793}}</ref> He was also a founding member of the organization Swedish Muslims for Peace and Justice, a Muslim peace movement, as well as a strong supporter of the Swedish peace movement.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} He was a member of the board of the Green Party between 2003 and 2011.
Kaplan was on board the Ship to Gaza flotilla which tried to protest against the Israeli embargo of the Gaza Strip.<ref>{{cite news|first=William|last=Booth|date=1 July 2015|title=The 'humanitarian aid' aboard a recent flotilla to Gaza fit in two cardboard boxes|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/07/01/did-the-flotilla-to-gaza-have-humanitarian-aid-aboard-or-not/|access-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151129213019/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/07/01/did-the-flotilla-to-gaza-have-humanitarian-aid-aboard-or-not/|archive-date=29 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The Israeli armed forces boarded the flotilla on 31 May 2010, killing 9 flotilla members who resisted their boarding.<ref name=srekot>{{cite news|first=Cecilia|last=Uddén|newspaper=Sveriges Radio|url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=83&artikel=3742030|title=Fem svenskar på fartygskonvojen mår bra|date=31 May 2010|access-date=31 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604004306/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=83&artikel=3742030|archive-date=4 June 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 1 July 2014, in a Fight Racism Now seminar held in Visby, Kaplan compared the young Muslims from Sweden who went to fight for any force in the Syrian civil war (including the Islamic State) with those Swedes who volunteered to fight for Finland against Russia in the Winter War during the Second World War. Kaplan commented that his statements had been misrepresented, but admitted to having chosen his words poorly.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/incoming/article19637865.ab|title=De nya ministrarna som det stormat runt|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=3 Oct 2014|accessdate=6 Oct 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005183420/http://www.aftonbladet.se/incoming/article19637865.ab|archive-date=5 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
In a Turkish newspaper interview, Kaplan said that it is natural for Sweden to recognize Palestine as a state, and that the "occupied territories will, if Allah willing, be freed, and east Jerusalem will become the capital of Palestine." Further he said that Israel will be forced to a peace agreement.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://haber.stargazete.com/guncel/avrupadaki-islamofobi-gencleri-iside-itiyor/haber-950645|title=Mehmet Kaplan: Avrupa'daki İslamofobi gençleri IŞİD'e itiyor|newspaper=Star Gazete|date=12 Oct 2014|accessdate=20 Oct 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013140450/http://haber.stargazete.com/guncel/avrupadaki-islamofobi-gencleri-iside-itiyor/haber-950645|archive-date=13 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
thumb|left|Mehmet Kaplan with his wife Feride Kaplan. He has also been labeled being an Islamist by various personalities, including the previous MP, Nalin Pekgul of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.
==Resignation from office== In April 2016 Kaplan received criticism because he had connections to extreme Islamists in Turkey.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/svt-nyheter-avslojar-kaplan-har-traffat-islamister-vid-flera-tillfallen|title=SVT Nyheter avslöjar: Kaplan har träffat islamister vid flera tillfällen|newspaper=SVT Nyheter|date=14 April 2016 |publisher=Sveriges Television|accessdate=14 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414185619/http://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/svt-nyheter-avslojar-kaplan-har-traffat-islamister-vid-flera-tillfallen|archive-date=14 April 2016|url-status=live |last1=Nyheter |first1=S. V. T. }}</ref> In particular he met the Swedish leader Ilhan Sentürk of the Turkish nationalist group the Grey Wolves and Barbaros Leylani, deputy chair of the National Turkish Association in Sweden, who said a few days earlier that "those Armenian dogs must die", or, that Turks must "kill the Armenian dogs,"<ref name="KillTheArmenian Dogs"/> in Sergels torg, and on several occasions with people from the Islamist organization Millî Görüş.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/starka-reaktioner-pa-turkiskt-tal-om-armeniska-hundar/ |title=Starka reaktioner på turkiskt tal om "armeniska hundar" |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=11 April 2016 |access-date=2016-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420060406/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/starka-reaktioner-pa-turkiskt-tal-om-armeniska-hundar/ |archive-date=2016-04-20 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article22629083.ab|title=Här är Mehmet Kaplan på middag med högerextrem ledare|work=Aftonbladet|date=14 April 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415161653/http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article22629083.ab|archive-date=15 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 17 April, ''Svenska Dagbladet'' published a video on which Kaplan compares Israel's treatment of Palestinians to Nazi Germany's treatment of Jewish people.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/svd-avslojar-kaplan-jamforde-israeler-med-nazister/om/kritiken-mot-kaplan|title=SvD avslöjar: Kaplan jämförde israeler med nazister|work=Svenska Dagbladet|date=17 April 2016|accessdate=17 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419023325/http://www.svd.se/svd-avslojar-kaplan-jamforde-israeler-med-nazister/om/kritiken-mot-kaplan|archive-date=19 April 2016|url-status=live |last1=Delling |first1=Hannes }}</ref> On 18 April the Swedish national public TV broadcaster SVT reported about Kaplan having close ties with the Turkish regime of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and that this was a part of a Turkish strategy to influence foreign governments.<ref>[http://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/kaplan-umgas-med-erdo-ans-man-i-sverige Kaplan umgås med Erdoğans man i Sverige] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419183936/http://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/kaplan-umgas-med-erdo-ans-man-i-sverige |date=2016-04-19 }}, SVT</ref> The two journalists from SVT said they had been researching Kaplan's connection with the Turkish AKP party for months and published some of their material prematurely when the affair suddenly exploded in the media.<ref>[https://journalisten.se/nyheter/svt-hade-granskat-kaplan-i-tre-manader SVT hade granskat Kaplan i tre månader] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419161426/http://www.journalisten.se/nyheter/svt-hade-granskat-kaplan-i-tre-manader |date=2016-04-19 }}, Journalisten</ref> These cases raised questions in Sweden about the stance of Kaplan concerning extremism.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/lofven-sparkar-kaplan-om-det-kommer-fler-avslojanden|title=Löfven sparkar Kaplan – om det kommer fler avslöjanden|newspaper=SVT Nyheter|date=15 April 2016 |publisher=Sveriges Television|accessdate=17 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419001127/http://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/lofven-sparkar-kaplan-om-det-kommer-fler-avslojanden|archive-date=19 April 2016|url-status=live |last1=Nyheter |first1=S. V. T. }}</ref> On 18 April 2016, Kaplan resigned as cabinet minister.<ref>Brendan Cole: [http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/swedens-housing-minister-mehmet-kaplan-quits-after-his-nazi-comparison-israel-1555419 ''Sweden's housing minister Mehmet Kaplan quits after his Nazi comparison to Israel''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418125446/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/swedens-housing-minister-mehmet-kaplan-quits-after-his-nazi-comparison-israel-1555419 |date=2016-04-18 }}. International Business Times, 18. April 2016</ref> Several additional controversies with connections to Islamism in the Green Party occurred in the week following Kaplan's resignation which SVT's commentator called one of the party's worst crisis ever.<ref>[http://www.resume.se/nyheter/artiklar/2016/04/21/efter-skandalerna-mps-nya-riktlinjer-for-mediekontakter/ Efter skandalerna: MP:s nya riktlinjer för mediekontakter] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423020830/http://www.resume.se/nyheter/artiklar/2016/04/21/efter-skandalerna-mps-nya-riktlinjer-for-mediekontakter/ |date=2016-04-23 }}, Resumé</ref><ref>[http://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/utan-tvekan-miljopartiets-svaraste-kris-hittills ”Utan tvekan Miljöpartiets svåraste kris hittills”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422191256/http://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/utan-tvekan-miljopartiets-svaraste-kris-hittills |date=2016-04-22 }}, SVT</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Mehmet Kaplan}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20081218203403/http://mp.se/templates/Mct_77.aspx?avdnr=5&number=79333&avdelning=12479 Mehmet Kaplan, The Swedish Green Party] {{Green Party (Sweden)}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaplan, Mehmet}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Gaziantep Category:Turkish emigrants to Sweden Category:Swedish Muslims Category:Members of the Riksdag from the Green Party Category:Ministers for housing of Sweden Category:Swedish Islamists Category:Islamism in Sweden