What is the source of the conflict between Germany and Türkiye?

Turkey has always wanted to join the EU, and Germany has the toughest speaking qualifications in the EU, so Turkey has always wanted to join the EU through Germany. There are also many disputes, see below for details:

When Merkel was the leader of the opposition party, her attitude towards Turkey was very loud, but now that she has become prime minister, the raindrops have fallen less. The tone of the speech on the Turkey issue was much softer. During this visit to Türkiye, she no longer took an aggressive stance in resisting Türkiye's entry into the EU. On the contrary, Merkel proposed the benefits that Türkiye would bring by moving closer to the EU.

Although Merkel will not emphasize that Turkey is an indispensable factor in maintaining peace and stability in Europe like her colleague Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, she has publicly stated that Turkey is playing a vital role in maintaining peace and stability in Europe. Europe will receive strong support from Germany as it moves closer.

It is not easy for Merkel to make a clear stance on Turkey. She is the chairperson of the CDU. The Christian Democratic Union is a party that has always been critical when it comes to Türkiye for various reasons. Many politicians in the Christian Democratic Union have repeatedly proposed that negotiations with Turkey on EU accession should be stopped. However, at the same time, Merkel was still the German Federal Chancellor. In this case, she had to get rid of partisan opinions and treat the Turkish issue from a national perspective. This includes integrating Türkiye into the European Union's diplomatic and security system. In particular, Merkel is currently seeking Turkey's help to conduct cultural and religious dialogue to solve the problem of the difficulty of integrating millions of Turkish immigrants in Germany into German society.

Former German Prime Minister Kohl visited Turkey 13 years ago as chairman of the Christian Democratic Union. Merkel's visit to Türkiye 13 years later was not at a very opportune time. There are intense discussions taking place in Turkey over the separation of church and state, the dangers of fundamentalism and whether it should join the European Union. During the 26 hours Merkel stayed in Turkey, she did not meet with representatives of opposition parties, civil rights organizations or women's organizations, and only met with three religious leaders. This is undoubtedly a hint that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan acquiesces to his current internal affairs.

Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Nedschdet criticized Erdogan for entertaining Merkel and her party in the form of a fasting banquet instead of a state banquet. He said such banquets, complete with scripture readings, tarnished the image of a modern Türkiye. What Merkel saw was a Turkey presented to her by Erdogan, a country that contained elements of Western life and diverse democracy that Erdogan had hidden behind him. The Turkish Parliament will elect a new president in April next year. It is no secret that a hijab-wearing Turkish woman chosen by Erdogan will become the new president.

The Cyprus dispute has also been put on the table. Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan emphasized that in exchange for a customs union with Cyprus, which is not recognized by Turkey, the policy towards the Turkish islands in the northern Mediterranean must also be loosened. During Merkel's visit, the two sides also had extensive exchanges and discussions on issues such as the role of women in the country and society and promoting the integration of Turkish immigrants into German society.