Erdogan tells Turks in Germany to vote against Merkel

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

#WORLD NEWS AUGUST 18, 2017 / 7:48 AM / 8 MINUTES AGO

Erdogan tells Turks in Germany to vote against Merkel

Bulent Usta
3 MIN READ

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats were enemies of Turkey and called on Turks in Germany to vote against major parties in next month's elections.

The comments are some of Erdogan's harshest yet against Merkel and her Christian Democrats, illustrating the widening divide between the NATO allies and major trade partners.

Ties between Ankara and Berlin have been strained in the aftermath of last year's failed coup as Turkish authorities have sacked or suspended 150,000 people and detained more than 50,000 people, including German nationals.

Germany has voiced concern that Erdogan is using the coup as a pretext to quash dissent. Erdogan, an authoritarian leader whose roots are in political Islam, has accused Germany of anti-Turkish and anti-Muslim sentiment.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-turkey-idUSKCN1AY17Z

[nycbos]

1. Stuff like this gives the anti immigrant folk ammunition.

[DetlefK]

2. Great. Here are whom the Turks could vote for instead of Merkel:

Martin Schulz - Social-Democrat and runner-up to Merkel, though without a chance to actually beat her
(It will by like Clinton vs Sanders, except in a general election...)

the Greens - liberal environmentalists, center-left

the Free Democrats - liberal anti-war capitalists - "Make money, not war."

the Left - far-left

the AfD - the anti-immigrant-party, far-right



Truly a rich choice.