What’s behind Germany’s special relationship with Turkey? Trade between the two countries totalled around 35.4 billion euros in 2019, with the trade balance in Germany's favour to the tune of almost four billion. Germany is also one of the top investors inside Turkey with companies like BASF, Siemens, Volkswagen and Daimler all setting up shop there.
A lot of the German-Turkish relationship comes down to psychology, the Istanbul-based analyst concludes: 'It's a bit like an old couple, who have been married for a long time,' he says. 'They don't love each other anymore. But getting a divorce would just be way too costly.'