Germany rejects Erdogan's "Nazi era" comparison
A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel calls for calm, as diplomatic row between Turkey and Germany escalates over ban on Turkish rallies in German towns.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech during a Women's Day rally in Istanbul, Turkey, March 5, 2017.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for calm on Monday in an escalating dispute with Turkey, a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comparison of current German policies to the Nazi era.
German authorities withdrew permission for two meetings in German cities last week that were part of the Turkish government's campaign to win the Turkish community's support for next month's referendum on the constitution in Turkey.
Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, rejected Erdogan's statement saying, "We firmly reject any comparisons between the policies of the democratic Federal Republic of Germany and the Nazi times."
TRT World's Oliver Whitfield-Miocic has more.
There are nearly 4 million people of Turkish origin living in Germany, of which about 1.5 million are Turkish citizens eligible to vote in the April referendum.
The two countries' foreign ministers are expected to meet next week over the dispute.
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