German opposition leader delays Turkey trip to announce chancellor bid

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz postponed a visit to Turkey on Tuesday to conclude talks within his party about running to become the next chancellor in the federal elections next year, people familiar with the issue told Middle East Eye.

Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), was expected to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara and hold meetings with other top officials.

The opposition leader suddenly postponed the meeting earlier this week without providing any explanation to the public.

“Merz told Ankara that he needs to stay in Germany to successfully announce his candidacy for chancellor, as it requires some campaigning and political convincing for some of the leaders of the CDU,” one person familiar with the issue told MEE.

On Tuesday, Merz officially announced his campaign to become the next chancellor after convincing his rival Markus Soder, the premier of Bavaria and leader of the CDU’s sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU).

“The fundamental realignment of the CDU on the issue of migration has healed the wound between the CDU and CSU,” Soder said during a news conference where he endorsed Merz.

The CDU is leading with 32 percent according to the latest polls. Experts believe Merz has a strong chance to become the next chancellor as other parties lag significantly behind in the surveys.

German media reported earlier this month that the trip to Turkey was Merz’s own idea.

‘Merz’s real objective was to give the impression that he is working behind the scenes with Turkey to address the migration issue’

– source

The trip was supposed to clarify Merz’s foreign policy, as he wanted to discuss Nato, Turkey’s relationship with the EU, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the refugee deal signed in 2016, according to the reports.

“Merz’s real objective was to give the impression that he is working behind the scenes with Turkey to address the migration issue,” the source said.

The trip was timely for other reasons as well. On Monday, Germany imposed passport checks on all its land borders for six months, effectively freezing the Schengen zone, after an attack in Solingen where three people died. A Syrian refugee confessed to the murders.

The attack particularly alarmed the current German government, as experts believe it boosted support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which won regional elections earlier this month.

“The overall right-wing trend in Germany makes parties like the CDU impose a stricter immigration regime, and they need to talk to Turkey to negotiate a new migration deal,” the source added.