Germany slams Erdogan for comparing Merkel government to Nazis

After German municipalities banned demonstrations backing a referendum in Turkey to enhance Erdogan’s powers, he accused the Merkel government of engaging in “Nazi practices.”

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government expressed  outrage on Monday at Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for accusing Germany of using Nazi practices.

“There is absolutely no reason to allow ourselves to be reproached over this,” said Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Chief of Staff Peter Altmaier to the German broadcasting outlet ARD. “The government will make this very clear.”

The Turkish President had accused Germany of engaging in actions similar to the “Nazi practices of the past” after several local authorities banned demonstrations in support of a referendum next month in Turkey on expanding Erdogan’s powers.

Several ministers were planning to rally support from Turkish immigrants, who make up a significant portion of Germany’s immigrant population. While the municipalities cited security concerns in their decision to cancel the planned rallies, Erdogan referred to the move as a demonstration of Germany’s failure as a democracy.

“Germany, you are not even close to democracy,” Erdogan said on Sunday at a rally in Istanbul. “Your practices are not different from the Nazi practices of the past.”

After a failed coup attempt against Erdogan this past summer, the United States and European Union expressed major alarm that the methods used to suppress the coup and to expand the president’s powers were likely undermining the rule of law in Turkey.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

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