The State and Future of Turkey and Germany Relations the Political Backdrop
Abstract
This paper analyses the complex and intertwined relationship between Germany and Turkey. The profound and multi-dimensional relationship between the countries is surveyed with a specific eye on the political ebbs and flows of the last thirty years. The paper specifically focuses on the domestic political agendas of the two countries, and puts their bilateral relationship as well as their respective relationships with the EU to the fore. Different political parties in Germany, how they view Turkish- German and Turkey- EU relations, how they position themselves vis-à-vis German Turks, and German governments’ policies are described in an historical manner in order to shed light into the intricacies of the relationship. The economic and the security issues are deliberately left out for the two adjacent papers part of this project. Based on a thorough understanding of the domestic and international dynamics that have shaped this relationship, the paper builds 3 scenarios for the future of the political relations between these two Allies, explaining the likely benefits and the costs of these specific scenarios as well.
