To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkey's president, Turkish cabinet ministers have been scheduling campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates. Rutte said it was important for his government not to bow to Turkish pressure, especially, he said, after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept its ministers out. "If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price," Erdogan warned. "Those who treat my foreign minister, my economy minister, our legislator friends in a shameless way, will pay the price. The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenhood, although hundreds of thousands of residents have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 12, 2017 16:48 UTC