Merz Heads to Turkey, Erdoğan Meeting Top Priority

Merz's visit to Turkey puts the spotlight on the bilateral relationship. Despite İmamoğlu's arrest warrant, no meetings with opposition politicians are planned.

, and Administrator

2025 October 27 . 9:01 PM

1 min read

This is a meeting hall where we can see a group of people sitting on chairs and also two flags of... — This is a meeting hall where we can see a group of people sitting on chairs and also two flags of other countries and the desk which is in orange color and some water bottles and mike on the desk.

Merz Heads to Turkey, Erdoğan Meeting Top Priority

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to visit Turkey on October 30, 2025, with a focus on meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Despite reports, no confirmed meetings with opposition politicians, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, have been announced. İmamoğlu, the ousted mayor of Istanbul, faces arrest warrants over 'political espionage' allegations he denies.

Merz's visit aims to discuss key issues such as the war in Ukraine, Middle East peace efforts, migration, and defense cooperation between Germany and Turkey. However, official sources emphasize that the bilateral meeting with Erdoğan is the priority. The German government has not commented on whether Merz will address İmamoğlu's arrest warrant during his visit.

The SPD, now junior coalition partners, criticized İmamoğlu's arrest in March. Despite reports suggesting a new arrest warrant, Merz has not scheduled any meetings with opposition politicians, including İmamoğlu.

Chancellor Merz's visit to Turkey will center around talks with President Erdoğan. While the agenda includes crucial topics, the German government has not confirmed any additional meetings or discussions regarding İmamoğlu's arrest warrant.