Erdogan tells Turks in Germany to vote against Merkel

Record ID: 906901

  • Title: Erdogan tells Turks in Germany to vote against Merkel
  • Date: 18th August 2017
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (AUGUST 18, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** TURKISH PRESIDENT, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, LEAVING MOSQUE AFTER FRIDAY PRAYERS PLAINCLOTHES POLICE ERDOGAN WITH REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRESIDENT, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, SAYING: "Siding with some other European countries, Germany has dragged its internal conflicts on Turkey and has become a country that violates EU acquis."(EDITORS NOTE: acquis refers to set of EU laws) POLICEMAN (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRESIDENT, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, SAYING: "I am calling on all my countrymen in Germany: do not support them by mistake. The Christian Democrats, SDP, the Green Party are all enemies of Turkey. Support those political parties who are not enemies of Turkey." PLAINCLOTHES POLICE (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRESIDENT, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, SAYING: "There are approximately 1 million Turkish voters who will cast their vote and change this course. I call on Turkish voters especially not to vote for those parties who have been engaged in such aggressive, disrespectful attitudes against Turkey, and I invite them to teach a lesson to those political parties at the ballot box when they are casting their votes" POLICE STANDING IN AREA ERDOGAN LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 1st September 2017 13:53
  • Keywords: Erdogan Turkey Germany Merkel election
  • Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
  • City: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016UOPRNR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday (August 18) said German Chancellor Angela Merkel was an enemy of Turkey and called on Turks in Germany to vote against her and other 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 detained more than 50,000 people and sacked or suspended 150,000 others, drawing criticism from Europe. Erdogan, who has little patience for Western criticism, has accused Germany of anti-Turkish sentiment.
    Germany has a large Turkish diaspora. Germans go to the polls on September 24 for elections where Merkel is running for a fourth term.
    Tensions between the two countries have been also been strained as German nationals - including a journalist and a rights activist - have been caught up in the crackdown.
    Merkel has also said there would be no expansion of a customs union or deepening in EU-Turkish ties, comments which infuriated Turkey.
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