Surprise on the first trip of a North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister to Turkey: Hendrik Wüst was received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his palace in Ankara. The conversation lasted 50 minutes - longer than expected.
Topics included economic cooperation between North Rhine-Westphalia and Turkey, relations with the EU and visa facilitation. “In view of geopolitical changes, Turkey is also becoming increasingly important for companies from North Rhine-Westphalia as a production location and for diversifying supply chains,” said the State Chancellery.
Desire for modernization of the customs union
Before his departure, Wüst called for a modernization of the customs union and faster procedures for issuing business visas in an interview with the Turkish media “Hürriyet” and Anadolu. The modernization of the customs union has long been a demand of Ankara. The project, as well as planned visa liberalization and EU accession talks, were put on hold due to regressions in the rule of law in Turkey.
It initially remained unclear to what extent the much-criticized human rights situation in Turkey was an issue at the meeting with Erdogan. However, in a statement released afterwards it said. “The state government is following domestic political developments in Turkey with concern. At the same time, North Rhine-Westphalia is committed to an open dialogue with Turkey.”
Unusual in terms of protocol
The meeting between Wüst and Erdogan is unusual in terms of protocol. Regional heads of government are not normally received by the president in Turkey. Wüst's delegation said that Erdogan had never met a German state head of government as president. However, Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil was received by him in 2014, when Erdogan was still head of government. Weil also met President Abdullah Gül at the time.
The fact that Erdogan decided to meet with Wüst probably has something to do with North Rhine-Westphalia's close ties to Türkiye. A third of all people in Germany who come from Turkey live in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Perhaps it also played a role that Wüst has been seen for weeks as a possible successor to Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), who is under massive pressure. The evening before his departure, Wüst reiterated on ZDF: “I would like to remain Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia.”
The main reason for Wüst's three-day trip to Turkey is the 65th anniversary of the German-Turkish recruitment agreement, which initiated the immigration of hundreds of thousands of Turkish workers to the Federal Republic of Germany. It is the first trip by a North Rhine-Westphalian head of government to the NATO country and for Wüst the first ever visit to Turkey.
Wüst recognizes the contribution of migrants
Wüst praised the contribution of Turkish migrants to Germany's recovery. “Without these people it would not have been possible to achieve an economic recovery after the war,” he said during a visit to a Henkel factory in Ankara. “They worked in the steelworks, underground, at Ford in Cologne, in road construction, everywhere.”
At the beginning of the trip, Wüst spoke out in favor of opening a “new chapter” in German-Turkish relations. “We want to focus on the positive for stronger cooperation in the future,” said the CDU politician. In a good and close partnership, it is easier to address critical questions and topics and advocate for improvements.
In the morning, Wüst set off with a large delegation on a scheduled airliner from Düsseldorf to Ankara. He will be accompanied by, among others, a top-class business delegation and more than 30 journalists.
New tone since visits from Merz and Wadephul
For a long time, German-Turkish relations were characterized by open differences. However, the inaugural visits by Chancellor Merz and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) a year ago brought a new tone. “We want an overall positive agenda,” said the Foreign Minister at the time. And the Chancellor's visit to the Turkish capital with his wife Charlotte served to revive a real strategic partnership with Turkey.
