Mainstream, pro-government Turkish media have recently discovered the existence of a strong alliance between Germany and Turkey, loudly proclaiming that Germany stands with Turkey against the “economic coup” by the United States. They failed, however, to mention that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also advocated measures to ensure the independence of the Central Bank in Turkey.

It was only a year ago, in August 2017, during the campaign leading up to German nation elections, that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan feverishly called on the 1.2 million eligible voters of Turkish descent living in Germany to vote against the enemies of Islam and Turkey, by which he meant Merkel and her party. Fast forward one year, and the Turkish media, guided by the palace, is trumpeting bragging rights for an official Erdogan visit to Germany scheduled for Sept. 28-29.

Turkish-German relations are important for Ankara at a time when Erdogan is looking for allies against the Donald Trump-led United States. In addition, Germany is home to the largest Turkish population outside Turkey, and it ranks as Turkey’s number one trading partner. Yet, several thorny issues require attention before Erdogan's September visit.

One of them involves the July 10 announcement by German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer banning the Osmanen Germania Biker Club (OGBC), calling the group a “grave threat to public safety.” A statement on the ministry's website read, “Once again, the federal government and the federal states have shown that they are resolutely fighting all manifestations of organized crime in Germany, including rocker-like groups such as OGBC, whose members commit serious crimes. Those who reject the rule of law cannot expect any kind of leniency from us.”