Should Europe ban AKP rallies?

The Debates feature from Euro|Topics offers English (+ French and German) translations of a selections of articles in European news sources on this topic.

Euro|Topics relaunched their website during 2016. Features published before that date are still available via an archive website (see related url hyperlinks).Media reported in March 2017 on increasing tension between Turkey and a number of European countries. The context was the cancellation of rallies with Turkish politicians in a number of German cities in the run up to a referendum in Turkey on constitutional reforms.

Turkey's president and government accused German authorities of using Nazi practices and hostility towards his country and Islam. Austria's chancellor spoke out in favour of an EU-wide ban on those rallies.

Analysts were divided over the issues, with some arguing for a more resolute stance regarding Turkey's president and others critical of such restrictions on Turkish politicians.

The dispute subsequently spread also to The Netherlands and Denmark.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu did take part in a referendum rally in the French city of Metz on the 12 March 2017. France urged Turkey and fellow EU countries to 'de-escalate' tensions.

• Primary Source

http://archiv.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/aktuell.html http://archiv.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/aktuell.html

ESO: Background information: German journalist Deniz Yücel arrested in Turkey http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-journalist-deniz-yucel-arrested-in-turkey/

EUObserver, 06.03.17: Erdogan's Nazi jibes sour EU relations https://euobserver.com/foreign/137120

Politico, 06.03.17: Germany slams Erdoğan’s ‘unacceptable’ Nazi comments http://www.politico.eu/article/germany-slams-erdogans-unacceptable-nazi-comments/

EurActiv, 06.03.17: Austria calls for EU-wide ban on Turkish campaign events http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/austria-calls-for-eu-wide-ban-on-turkish-campaign-events/

EUObserver, 03.03.17: German-Turkish tensions rise over cancelled campaign events https://euobserver.com/news/137092

The Local.at, 05.03.17: Austria calls for EU-wide ban on Turkish campaign events http://www.thelocal.at/20170305/austria-calls-for-eu-wide-ban-on-turkish-campaign-events

The Local.at, 01.03.17: Turkey angry after Erdogan is told he can't campaign in Austria http://www.thelocal.at/20170301/turkey-angry-after-erdogan-is-told-he-cant-campaign-in-austria

EurActiv, 07.03.17: Merkel rejects Erdogan’s ‘absurd’ Nazi comparison, calls for calm http://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/merkel-rejects-erdogans-absurd-nazi-comparison-calls-for-calm/

Germany: Federal Government: News, 06.03.17: German-Turkish relations. Nothing can justify the comparison with National Socialism, says Chancellor https://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/EN/Artikel/2017/03_en/2017-03-06-deutsch-tuerkisches-verhaeltnis_en.html

Hürriyet Daily News, 07.03.17: Turkish FM travels to Germany amid crisis http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-fm-travels-to-germany-amid-crisis.aspx?pageID=238&nID=110523&NewsCatID=338

Anadolu Agency, 07.03.17: Banning rallies 'systematic', says Turkey's EU minister http://aa.com.tr/en/europe/banning-rallies-systematic-says-turkeys-eu-minister/766021

EurActiv, 08.03.17: No let-up in Turkey-Germany war of words after ministers meet http://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/no-let-up-in-turkey-germany-war-of-words-after-ministers-meet/

EUObserver, 09.03.17: Germany says Turkish politics pose security risk https://euobserver.com/foreign/137173

Politico, 08.03.17: Turkish foreign minister’s Dutch event called off http://www.politico.eu/article/mevlut-cavusoglu-rotterdam-turkish-foreign-ministers-dutch-event-called-off/

Politico, 08.03.17: Berlin-Ankara spat plays into Erdoğan’s hands http://www.politico.eu/article/berlin-ankara-spat-plays-into-erdogans-hands-hurts-merkel/

Deutsche Welle, 12.03.17: Denmark warns Turkish PM to postpone visit as Germany mulls legal options http://dw.com/p/2Z4YE

The Local.dk, 12.03.17: Denmark calls on Turkish PM to delay planned visit https://www.thelocal.dk/20170312/denmark-calls-on-turkish-pm-to-delay-planned-visit

Politico, 12.03.17: Dutch row worsens Europe’s Turkey tensions http://www.politico.eu/article/europes-relations-with-turkey-go-from-bad-to-worse/

ECFR: Podcast, 09.03.17: Mark’s World in 30 Minutes: German-Turkish Spat: a Storm in a Tea Cup? http://www.ecfr.eu/podcasts/episode/marks_world_in_30_minutes_german_turkish_spat_a_storm_in_a_tea_cup

EurActiv, 08.03.17: EU summit to discuss Turkish electoral activism in member states http://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/summit-to-discuss-turkish-electoral-activism-in-member-states-wednesday/

EUObserver, 14.03.17: Erdogan: German ‘Nazis’ also back ‘terrorists’ https://euobserver.com/foreign/137230

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 15.03.17: Judy Asks: Is Turkey Challenging Europe’s Freedom of Speech? http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/68275?lang=en

Politico, 15.03.17: EU says Turkey ‘completely detached from reality’ http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-says-turkey-completely-detached-from-reality/

EurActiv, 15.03.17: Pro-Erdogan hackers in Twitter attack as EU blasts Turkey http://www.euractiv.com/section/cybersecurity/news/pro-erdogan-hackers-in-twitter-attack-as-eu-blasts-turkey/

The Conversation, 16.03.17: Why Erdoğan is chasing Turkey’s overseas voters so hard https://theconversation.com/why-erdogan-is-chasing-turkeys-overseas-voters-so-hard-74469

EurActiv, 23.03.17: Austria moves to formally ban Erdogan from campaigning on its soil http://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/austria-moves-to-formally-ban-erdogan-from-campaigning-on-its-soil/

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 13.04.17: Erdoğan accuses Germany of echoing the Nazis – but his own record on anti-Semitism is shameful http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/04/13/erdogan-accuses-germany-of-echoing-the-nazis-but-his-own-record-on-anti-semitism-is-shameful/

---