Human Rights Watch urged Friedrich Merz to condemn Turkey’s crackdown on the opposition and the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Germany and Turkey Seek Stronger Ties
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a deeper strategic alliance with Turkey during his first official visit to Ankara. He praised Turkey’s key role in mediating the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Standing beside President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Merz spoke days after Turkey and the United Kingdom signed a multi-billion-euro deal for 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets. Germany, part of the aircraft’s manufacturing consortium, recently ended its long opposition to exporting them to Turkey.
Reports indicate Germany supports Turkey’s involvement in the European defence plan called Security Action for Europe (SAFE), a €150 billion initiative to boost Europe’s military strength. SAFE welcomes non-EU partners, including Turkey. Greece objected, insisting Turkey must first withdraw its war threat over sea borders.
Merz avoided direct mention of SAFE but highlighted cooperation. He urged Germany and Turkey to use their partnership’s full potential in the coming years. He argued that Europe faces a new geopolitical era shaped by great-power competition and insisted that a deep partnership with Turkey remains unavoidable.
Tensions on Rights and Regional Conflicts
Tensions surfaced during the joint press event over human rights and Gaza. Human Rights Watch again pressed Merz to denounce Ankara’s repression. İmamoğlu, a leading opposition figure and possible Erdoğan rival, has stayed in pretrial detention since March on corruption charges he rejects. Authorities filed new espionage charges this week.
Merz avoided naming him but noted that Turkey’s recent decisions fall short of European democratic and legal standards. Erdoğan defended his judiciary, asserting that courts must act against anyone who violates the law, regardless of rank.
On Gaza, Merz reaffirmed Germany’s lasting support for Israel since the Holocaust while criticising certain Israeli policies. He argued that Israel used its right to self-defence and that Hamas could have prevented casualties by releasing hostages and disarming. Erdoğan condemned Israel again, accusing it of “starvation and genocide.” He claimed Hamas lacks heavy weaponry while Israel holds nuclear arms and challenged Germany’s silence on that imbalance.
