German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Turkey to ensure that its constitutional principle of separation of powers will be protected as the country is to shift to a new Presidential system. She said after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara that Turkey needed to heed concerns about proposed constitutional changes that would strengthen powers of the President.
During a press conference with Erdogan, Merkel said Ankara must do more to respect freedom of opinion and the diversity of society. Turkey has jailed more than 40,000 people on suspicion of having links to a US-based cleric, whom Turkey blames for the coup attempt of July 15, 2016. More than 100,000 people have also been discharged from their jobs over the same suspicions.