Ahead of today’s EU summit in Malta (3 February), German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid a visit to Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lectured her not to use the expression “Islamist terror.”

Answering questions at the presser in Ankara yesterday (2 February), Erdoğan objected to is guest’s use of the well-worn expression.

He said, as quoted by the website of the Turkish presidency:

“The ‘Islamist terror’ expression gravely saddens us as Muslims. Such an expression cannot be used; it is not right because Islam and terror don’t go side by side. Islam literally means peace, it cannot be associated with terror. Therefore, mentioning it side by side terror saddens adherents of this religion.”

Merkel, for her part, underlined the importance Germany attaches to the freedom of religion as a necessity of democracy. She said:

“We are making every effort in our power in order to enable Muslims in Germany to live their faith freely. And Islamic associations in Germany have stood against every kind of terror. Thus, there is a difference between the terms of ‘Islamic’ and ‘Islamist.’ I am of the belief that our people greatly appreciate Muslims and we need to join forces against this terror.”

In her first trip to Ankara since a failed military coup in Turkey last July, Merkel, said she had agreed with Erdoğan on the need for closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Germany and Turkey have been at odds over Ankara’s crackdown on dissidents since the abortive 15 July coup, as well as its allegations – rejected by Berlin – that Germany is harbouring Kurdish and far-leftist militants.

German MEP: Merkel only 'pouring oil on the fire' of Turkish-Kurdish conflict Europe needs to up the pressure and terminate its refugee deal with Ankara, especially since the bloc only showed “concern” that Turkey arrested a number of Kurdish mayors this week, urges MEP Martina Michels in interview with EURACTIV Germany.

“With the (attempted) putsch, we saw how the Turkish people stood up for democracy and for the rules of democracy,” Merkel told a news conference, when asked about concern over proposed constitutional changes that would strengthen Erdoğan’s powers.

“In such a time of profound political upheaval, everything must be done to continue to protect the separation of powers and above all freedom of opinion and the diversity of society,” she said, adding she had also raised the issue of press freedom.

“Opposition is part of democracy,” Merkel said.

Frau Merkel visited Kurdish Minority Senators in Ankara &Met only few remaining MPs.All Kurdish MPs jailed by Turkey pic.twitter.com/KLEOG63cBR — Mardini (@SerifMerdini) February 3, 2017

.@candundaradasi on @BBCNewshour: this was also 1st time #Merkel has met with political opposition in #Turkey, incl parties w/MPs in jail. — Rebecca Vincent (@rebecca_vincent) February 2, 2017

Merkel also reportedly said the EU will complete the payment of €3 million as soon as possible. The amount was pledged against Ankara’s cooperation for limiting the arrival of refugees from the Turkish shores to the Greek islands in the Aegean.

LIVE — Merkel in joint press conference with Erdoğan: The EU will complete payment of 3 billion euros to Turkey as soon as possible — DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) February 2, 2017

Turkey’s allies, including Germany, fear Erdoğan is using the coup attempt as a pretext to curtail dissent and Erdoğan’s opponents fear the planned constitutional changes will lead to an authoritarian state.

Erdogan says coup was ‘gift from God’ to reshape country, punish enemies President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Friday’s failed coup (15 July) was a “gift from God”, giving him the chance to re-shape the country, and purge the country’s elite from enemies, who accuse him of creeping Islamisation in the traditionally secular state.

The constitutional reform bill was submitted to Erdoğan later on Thursday, parliamentary sources said. Once he approves it, the electoral commission will set a date for a referendum, expected in April.

“It is out of the question for the separation of powers to be abolished,” Erdoğan said of the proposals, which would replace Turkey’s parliamentary system with an executive presidency.

Turkey to seek ‘liberal interpretation’ of secularism in new constitution Turkey’s new constitution will retain secularism as a principle, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said yesterday (27 April), playing down comments from the parliamentary speaker who caused a public uproar by calling for a religious national charter.

“It gives more opportunity for the executive branch to work more swiftly. The judiciary will retain its power and function as usual with the new system.”

Turkey's parliament passes law to restructure judiciary, bolstering Erdogan Turkey’s parliament approved sweeping plans late on Thursday (30 June) to restructure the high courts, in a victory for President Tayyip Erdogan that critics say will allow him to remove troublesome judges and tighten his grip over the judiciary.

Post-coup crackdown

Erdoğan also said Turkey may provide evidence to the German government after around 40 mostly high-ranking Turkish soldiers who worked at NATO facilities in Germany were reported to have requested asylum.

How Erdogan's purge hit the EU and NATO The European Parliament will this week vote on whether to suspend Turkey’s EU membership bid. Andrew Duff explains how the Turkish military has reacted to Erdoğan’s power grabbing and how NATO fits into the equation.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak said on Wednesday (1 February) that Berlin was sheltering members of what Ankara calls the “Gülenist Terrorist Organisation” (FETO), the network of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, which Turkey blames for the coup bid. Gülen denies involvement.

Turkish deputy PM: Emergency rule extended to purge Gülenists Turkey’s parliament voted overnight to extend emergency rule by three months in a move which the government said was needed to sustain a purge of supporters of the US-based Muslim cleric accused of directing July’s coup, state media said on Wednesday (4 January).

“If the Gülenists involved in the coup are fleeing to Germany, the Justice Ministry may send information and documents,” Erdoğan said, adding that the United States should take quicker action on an extradition request for Gülen.

Turkey’s defence minister has urged Berlin to reject the asylum applications and warned that a failure to do so could damage relations. Berlin has said the applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

More than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended from the police, military, civil service and private sector on suspicion of supporting Gülen since the attempted coup. Some 40,000 people have been jailed pending trial.

Turkish purges exposed by Council of Europe The breadth and depth of the purges carried out following the coup attempt in Turkey was exposed today (19 December), after the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly published facts and figures showing the extent of the crackdown.

Merkel, who later met Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, said the two countries could do more together to fight the PKK, considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. Turkey wants European countries to do more to root out PKK members there.

Erdogan demands support against PKK at NATO meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday (21 November) urged the European Union and West to step up backing of Ankara’s fight against Kurdish militants, as he addressed a meeting of NATO lawmakers.

“We talked in particular about how the PKK and everything associated with it in Germany is being observed and how we’re also taking action against it because as I said, the PKK is, as a terrorist organisation, banned in Germany too,” Merkel said.

“Our intelligence services and interior ministries need to work together more closely.”

In January, Germany’s chief prosecutor launched an investigation into possible spying by Turkish clerics and Merkel said during her visit to Ankara that “irritation or the feeling that people are being observed or spied on needs to be eliminated from the outset”.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said in an interview with Passauer Neue Presse newspaper that domestic Turkish conflicts should not be played out in Germany and that the country would not tolerate violence, spying or surveillance.