ISTANBUL — A top Turkish official took to social media on Monday to criticize comments on Turkey by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her opponent during a televised pre-election debate. Kalin said Europe’s attitude toward Turkey served to create an “other” and populism in German politics would fuel discrimination and racism. In Sunday’s debate, Schulz said he would seek to end long-running but currently stalled talks on Turkey joining the European Union because of Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian policies. Turkish media have reported that the two German citizens of Turkish origin were detained for alleged links to the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Ankara blames Gulen, a former ally of Erdogan, for last year’s coup attempt in Turkey.

Source: National Post September 04, 2017 08:37 UTC