European Policy Salon in Istanbul: Strengthening Dialogue on EU-Türkiye Relations
Rarely has the need for reliable spaces for dialogue on Europe’s future been greater than it is today. Against a backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and democratic pressure across Europe’s neighbourhood, the European Policy Salon in Istanbul provided an exclusive setting for open exchange on the future of EU-Türkiye relations. At the invitation of Bernd Hüttemann, Secretary General of the European Movement Germany, and Emre Gür, President of the European Movement Türkiye, selected participants from diplomacy, media, business, culture and academia came together in Istanbul for this purpose.
The conditions for the democratic and economic development of the European continent have become more difficult. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East and the erosion of democratic standards in Europe’s wider neighbourhood have increased the pressure on the European order. In this context, relations between the European Union and Türkiye have once again moved into sharper focus.
With its EBD Public Diplomacy Exclusive format, the European Movement Germany created an open space for European networking that deliberately reached beyond the usual institutional boundaries. The salon brought together representatives of member organisations and institutional partners with additional interlocutors from the German-Turkish and broader European context. At the heart of the discussion were current European policy challenges and the question of how cross-border cooperation, trust and dialogue can be strengthened under difficult political conditions.
In 2026, the European Policy Salon in Istanbul once again took place in an intentionally intimate setting in the heart of the city. Guests included representatives of the German community in Istanbul, members of the European Movement Türkiye, German-language journalists and further actors from diplomacy, academia, business and culture. In an environment where opportunities for exclusive European networking beyond familiar circles remain rare, the evening carried particular significance. It became clear that, despite all challenges, German and European actors in Türkiye continue to seek dialogue and build bridges - also with a view to strengthening democratic forces in Türkiye.
The salon was preceded by a background meeting with Dr. Regine Grienberger, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Istanbul, at the German Consulate General. There, selected participants came together for a confidential exchange on Türkiye’s European perspective. The combination of a closed-door discussion at the Consulate General and the subsequent salon in Çukurcuma gave the day particular political depth.
Among the evening’s special guests were Dr. Regine Grienberger and Prof. Dr. Gesche Joost, President of the Goethe-Institut. In this way, the event connected questions of European external relations with reflections on the role of cultural understanding and strategic cooperation in Europe. The personal setting encouraged a frank and substantive exchange that went beyond conventional event formats.
The evening in Istanbul once again underlined the importance of public diplomacy as an instrument for strengthening European networks and fostering forward-looking dialogue between Germany and Türkiye. Especially in more difficult times, it showed how essential reliable contacts, trust and informal spaces for exchange remain for Europe’s political capacity to act.
