Germany’s interior ministry announced on Thursday an end to the agreement with Turkey on assigning Turkish imams to German mosques. The move aims to enhance the integration of Muslims in Germany, with a plan to train 100 imams annually within Germany through collaboration between the ministry, Turkish religious authority Diyanet, and Turkish Islamic association DITIB.
These locally trained imams will gradually replace those employed by Diyanet in Germany, a country with a significant Turkish diaspora. The German government, often at odds with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his AK party, sees this transition as a step toward having clerics who understand the local language, culture, and values.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized, “We need clerics who speak our language, know our country and stand up for our values,” describing this move as a significant milestone for the integration and participation of Muslim communities in Germany.
DITIB, the largest Islamic association in Germany with approximately 900 mosques, has been a source of political controversy. Recent events, such as a Taliban member speaking at one of its mosques in Cologne, have drawn attention. In 2017, allegations of Diyanet-employed imams spying on behalf of Ankara led German officials to call for fundamental reforms within DITIB. Although Diyanet denied involvement, the probe concluded without charges.
