Just before the new coalition government of the Christian Union and Social Democrats officially takes office in Germany, the outgoing caretaker government led by Olaf Scholz (Social Democrats – Greens) is reportedly blocking the potential export of Eurofighter jets to Turkey. This is according to a Handelsblatt report citing sources familiar with confidential discussions within the outgoing administration.
The alleged reason behind Berlin’s decision lies in the recent arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, on corruption charges — a move widely viewed by the Turkish opposition as politically motivated. According to the German economic newspaper, the German government sees the arrest as “an attack on Turkish democracy,” and thus considers it appropriate to halt the delivery of military equipment.
Germany holds a decisive role in approving Eurofighter exports, as it is a co-manufacturing nation alongside the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain.
It is worth noting that during his visit to Turkey last year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is currently serving in a caretaker capacity, appeared open to supporting the deal. At the time, speaking from Istanbul, he stated:
“Turkey is a member of NATO, and as such, we regularly make decisions that lead to the deployment of defense systems.”
However, recent developments seem to have put the potential deal on hold — at least for now.