There are differences between a prime minister of a federal state and a federal chancellor that can be seen at first glance. When Hendrik Wüst meets Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the second floor of Ankara's huge presidential palace, he sits almost exactly where Friedrich Merz sat eleven months ago. But only almost.
While the Chancellor and Erdogan talked next to each other in front of their respective state flags, the head of the North Rhine-Westphalian state government was placed on the side next to the president, who was enthroned in the middle of the room between two Turkish flags. Above him is a golden sun framed by 16 stars, the presidential seal.
Wüst is considered a “reserve chancellor”
In terms of protocol, this is completely correct. In diplomacy, differences in rank are also reflected in the seating arrangement. It will be right. He attaches great importance to being Prime Minister of the most populous German state in Ankara, where a million people with Turkish roots live. And as a Prime Minister who wants to remain exactly that. “As far as possible,” he recently added when asked.
In view of the debate about a change of chancellor, Wüst has recently had to emphasize more and more often where he sees his place. He has a state election ahead of him, two small children at home and given the infighting over the reforms, there isn't much for him to gain in Berlin at the moment.
In the event that Merz falls, he is still considered the most promising candidate for successor alongside Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder - whenever. He doesn't talk about it himself, at least publicly. But many in his party do. And in the media he is referred to either as the “substitute chancellor” or “reserve chancellor”.
It all started around his last trip abroad to Poland. At that time there were the first reports that there was talk in the Union about changing the chancellor. Those close to the Chancellor promptly dismissed this as “wild speculation” and Wüst also countered the reports. Since the CDU's disastrous performance in the three state elections, the debate has become increasingly open. The support of the eight CDU prime ministers for Merz did not change this, which was perceived by many as half-hearted.
Two CDU politicians under special observation
Merz has been considered a chancellor on probation since the elections. Every word he says is now put on the gold scales. But Wüst is also under special observation. With Merz, it's about whether he is still suitable for the office of chancellor. With Wüst, we are looking at whether he is ready for a chancellorship.
Particular attention is paid to this when traveling abroad because foreign policy is primarily the responsibility of the Chancellor and the Foreign Minister. The fact that Wüst got an appointment with Erdogan just a few hours after his arrival in the Turkish capital is definitely a sign of special appreciation.
Whether the K question played a role in the president's decision to hold the meeting will probably remain a secret. However, it is said that in the conversation he was very interested in the domestic political situation in Germany after the three state elections. “We discussed it very intensively,” says Wüst afterwards. However, Erdogan is said to have been primarily concerned with the possible effects of the AfD's electoral successes and not with the CDU's series of defeats or the chancellor question.
Wüst praises the achievements of Turkish migrants
But why is the Prime Minister in Turkey at all? The occasion is the 65th anniversary of the so-called recruitment agreement, which led to the immigration of hundreds of thousands of Turks to Germany. They were called “guest workers” back then, but then they put down roots with their families. Today there are around three million people of Turkish descent in Germany, a third of whom live in North Rhine-Westphalia.
In Istanbul on Wednesday, Wüst wants to meet 91-year-old Sabri Aydin, who came to Germany in 1961 on the first guest worker plane to work underground in Duisburg. Over the next twelve years, almost 900,000 women and men from Turkey followed his example. They “significantly helped create the basis for our current prosperity,” says Wüst. These people have made Germany “more diverse, more open and stronger”.
On the same line with Merz and Wadephul
His conversation with Erdogan also discussed the customs union with the EU, which has not been reformed since the 1990s, and arms cooperation, which is to be expanded again. Overall, the Prime Minister is continuing the line that Merz set during his visit last year and Wadephul shortly before: After years of deep differences, there should be a “positive agenda” with Turkey again, a real strategic partnership.
The Prime Minister in Ankara is initially leaving out the major geopolitical issues. He does not initially discuss the Ukraine war and the various conflicts in the Middle East. That's more of a matter for the Chancellor.
When it comes to human rights, Wüst does it the way federal politicians would do it. Things like this are only talked about behind closed doors, he says. “In public, when in doubt, you only restrict yourself. That's why I discussed it where it belongs."
And Wüst uses another trick in Ankara that federal politicians also like to use abroad. To a question about migration policy with a view to the next elections and the rise of the AfD, he replied: “I think this is not the place for domestic political statements. We can discuss this at another opportunity.”
From November 1st, Wüst will travel like a chancellor
When it comes to the size of the delegation, Wüst can keep up with the Chancellor's entourage. More than 60 people accompany him - employees, entrepreneurs and 32 journalists. When Merz traveled to Ankara last year, there were only 26 media representatives. There was also no difference in transport: Wüst drove from appointment to appointment in a limousine with a German flag, a long motorcade and a police escort.
However, he doesn't have a government plane. For the flight to Ankara, he booked himself into seat 1F on a scheduled airline “Sun Express”. He also flies with scheduled flights to Istanbul and back to Düsseldorf.
But that will change soon. On November 1st, Wüst will become President of the Federal Council and will then hold the fourth highest office in the state - right after the Chancellor, who is number three behind the Federal President and the President of the Bundestag. Then the Prime Minister can use the white VIP planes with black, red and gold stripes of the Bundeswehr Air Force - just like the Chancellor.
