Sigmar Gabriel with wife Anke. Photo: DPAGerman Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has accused supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of threatening his wife amid a festering diplomatic crisis. On Saturday, Erdogan launched a bitter personal attack on Gabriel, who has frequently criticised the president's leadership and his treatment of opponents and critics. Among the alleged state enemies and terrorist supporters behind bars in Turkey are several German or dual Turkish-German citizens, including journalists and rights workers. In recent days he has angered Berlin by urging ethnic Turks in Germany to vote in September 24th elections against Merkel's conservatives, as well as Gabriel's Social Democrats and the Green Party.

Source: The Local August 22, 2017 10:18 UTC