Angela Merkel was able to skillfully involve the Turkish president and at the same time ensure that he does not play a political role in Germany. After the failed coup in Ankara in 2016, she said: “We expect people of Turkish origin who have lived in Germany for a long time to develop a high degree of loyalty to our country.” Many in the Turkish community found this preventive reprimand quite rightly as an insult – after all, their families, as guest workers, made the economic miracle possible in the first place.
But the guest workers were not really thanked. Many are now among those “who have lived here for a long time”. In 2011, when 50 years of the recruitment agreement had to be celebrated, the thanks of the entire German establishment were still meager and brittle.
Merkels Deal
The mistrust persists to this day. However, there are no political straightening out either: During Merkel’s farewell visit to the Bosporus, Erdogan complained that the Turks in Europe are victims of racist prejudice and acts. At the same time, it is still the state Turkish Ditib that determines what is preached in German mosques. But Merkel’s main focus was less on a joyful acceptance of “colorful Germany”. She had to act realpolitically in order to take account of the change in opinion with regard to the refugees. Erdogan received billions from the EU and to this day keeps the borders closed to millions of refugees.
That was Merkel’s “deal”. Erdogan ostentatiously thanked Merkel – also because he cannot be sure whether the Greens in the federal government will vote for an extension.