Turkish official warns German leaders on fuelling racism

A supporter takes a selfie with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Top Turkish officials took to social media on Monday to criticise comments on Turkey by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her opponent during a televised pre-election debate.

Ibrahim Kalin, spokesperson for the Turkish presidency, tweeted that Merkel and the Social Democratic Party's Martin Schulz were attacking Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a diversion from more urgent problems, such as a surge in discrimination.

Kalin said Europe's attitude toward Turkey served to create an "other" and warned that populism in German politics would fuel racism.


Omer Celik, Turkey's chief negotiator for its European Union bid, slammed the candidates for their "careless" tone. "We do not accept these disrespectful messages against Turkey," he tweeted.

In Sunday's debate, Schulz said he would seek to end long-running but currently stalled talks on Turkey joining the EU because of Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian policies.