From 'Nazis' to 'Fascists': What Erdogan Thinks of the Netherlands and Germany

In the lead-up to and during a row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has made harsh remarks about Germany and the Netherlands over the past week. Here are a few of his quotes:

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– "Germany, you don't have anything to do with democracy. These current practices of yours are no different than the Nazi practices of the past," Turkey's president said earlier in March, days after a German local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally there.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel retorted by saying that Erdogan's comments only served to trivialize the unfathomable suffering of those affected by Nazi crimes against humanity.

– Erdogan branded the Netherlands "Nazi remnants" and "fascists" after the Dutch government withdrew landing permission for the Turkish foreign minister's aircraft on Saturday, which sparked a diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

– "I thought Nazism was dead, but I was wrong. Nazism is still widespread in the West. The West has shown its true face," Erdogan said on Saturday after Turkey's family minister was detained in Rotterdam.

– Erdogan said the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" as Turkey's row with the northern European country escalated on Sunday.

– "They do not know politics or international diplomacy," Turkey's president said, referring to the Netherlands. "They will certainly pay the price, and also learn what diplomacy is. We will teach them international diplomacy." Erdogan also called on international organisations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands.