Turkey imposes sanctions on the Netherlands over ministers' treatment

The problem with your position is that you're ignoring the hypocrisy of the fact that Turkey wouldn't allow foreign politicians to campaign for the opposition and/or Kurds in their country.

@Pbot, the problem with your position is that the Turkish politicians who support the 'No' side HAVE been allowed to hold such rallies, in the Netherlands, and even spoken to the Dutch media voicing their objections to the Dutch government's action of preventing a 'Yes' side rally. Abdullatif Şener is much more likely to be correctly informed about what Turkish laws do and don't permit, and he's one of those No side campaigners.

Erdogan behaving like an attention seeking spoilt child.

Erdogan would love for the world press to see his minions in other countries showing their masses on T.V. too bad the rest of the Turks didn't follow suit & return to their homeland.

Erdogan is using this diversionary tactic to energize his supporters because right now, his Turkey referendum is on shaky ground.

He is betting that, as long as he wins the referendum, all these quarrels would be worth it since he can repair later the diplomatic damage he has caused trying to win the referendum.

oh man up, Turkey! stop being such crybabies, get over it. fix up your own country before mouthing off at another!

Aggressive unreasonable behaviour of guys like Erdogan, know no limit.

He is in charge of an economy that has consistently shrunk in size over the past couple of years. He needs something to smile about to keep his mind off his own incompetence.

Exactly. Excellent post.

@RichardPearce

If you live in a country that doesn't allow the part of its population living abroad to vote at the embassies, consulates, and even special polling stations, you probably don't get why the Turkish government is so outraged at having this event cancelled.

That's not even the issue. No one is denying them the right to vote. The Turkish government are a bunch of hypocrites if they're outraged at this, when they don't even allow these types of foreign-sponsored political rallies in their own soil. As one guy here pointed out, their own politicians are not even supposed to be allowed to go abroad and hold rallies based on their own constitution. But I guess Erdogan and his party are the exemptions apparently. One reason why the Turkish government are reacting the way they are is to get their home crowd all riled up, and getting them to vote to give Erdogan absolute power.

Nobody in the Netherlands is preventing Turkish-Dutch citizens to vote for something that happens in Turkey. All you could say to these folks is, that they must be really stupid to vote away more of their freedoms in Turkey to that goon Erdodan. But they are enjoying life in a true democracy, so it won’t effect them personally.

Anway, the Turkish foreign minister was allowed to hold a meeting in the Netherlands, but the government let Turkey know, that a political rally, held in public, by a foreign power, on Dutch soil, was undesirable. It was agreed that a meeting would be held somewhere indoors, in the Turkish embassy or Turkish consulate. So while it had been agreed that the meeting would be held indoors, this same foreign minister then went on the air saying “nobody could stop him” and “he would do as he pleased”. This is when the Dutch government pulled the plug, for any rally held outdoors by these people always leads to mayhem and property being destroyed. See Turkish coup or Turkish soccer team winning something.

The Netherlands is being accused by Turkey of Islamphobia, as being a bunch of fascists and Nazis and a banana republic, which is amusing, but of course far removed from actuality. We have a multi party system. There is even a party called Party for Animals and a party called Islam Democrats. No kidding. And there is also a party run by a couple of Dutch Turks. Guess where their priorities lie. Hint: it’s not with the Netherlands. But nevertheless, nobody is hindering them in their activities. Present day Turkey under Erdogan however, strives to be a one party state by smothering any other political party, which is basically the political ideology of fascism/Nazism and anybody not sharing their views is branded a fascist, a Nazi and a traitor etc. etc. and likely ends up languishing in jail for a long time without due process. And finally, please pay for the damages your people caused in Rotterdam the other day

Turkey is playing a losing game. They see their overseas diaspora as loyal citizens of Turkey acting on behalf and for the benefit of Turkey, rather than as citizens of the country they are living in. If this Turkish diaspora does not push back, they will become isolated in their adopted countries and definitely not have a pleasant time going forward. Also, domestic political campaigning in a foreign country is stupid and should probably be banned

Spanki has it right. Turkey is holding the refugee card. And do not worry, Erdogan will let them all leave for Northern Europe and then there will be a real problem. Merkel thought everything would be OK but Turkey had to go and mention the word nazi, and now there will be problems.

Does anyone else see democracy and the religion of Islam are just not meant for each other? The only times of somewhat peace in that region came from ruthless dictators. Not saying it's a good thing, but something I see.

"Putin is smirking."

He is in charge of an economy that has consistently shrunk in size over the past couple of years. He needs something to smile about to keep his mind off his own incompetence.

Turkey is using the migrant deal card already, ignore them and if they pull out of that deal, deport Turks in Europe.

Kick the egotistical windbag out of NATO and anything else.

Where's that written in the article exactly!

It's not. Brbush is just being smug, thinking that Putin's winning again. But that's what US American rightists want, isn't it Fred?

Putin is smirking.

Where's that written in the article exactly!

Been tear gassed while visiting Turkey during Erdogan's rule. We were having lunch at a restaurant down hill from some calm protests about 500m away. Tear gas flows downhill.

Lost contact with a few friends in Turkey about 18 months ago, during that round-up in 2015. Never learned what happened to them or if they are even alive.

Erdogan should run radio ads if he want to get some informatio out overseas and provide a website ... oh ... but they filter web access in Turkey - the telecom there is govt controlled. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_in_Turkey

Turkey has big problems. I don't know of any good solutions to those issues, but a tantrum isn't likely the best solution.

If you live in a country that doesn't allow the part of its population living abroad to vote at the embassies, consulates, and even special polling stations, you probably don't get why the Turkish government is so outraged at having this event cancelled. But the reality is that this isn't just an election that will only affect what happens for a few years, this is a Constitutional Assembly type process, where what is decided will shape all future generations, and the Turkish government is determined to make the voices of every Turk heard. And that makes the Dutch act not just an insult to the Turkish government, but an insult to every Turk, most especially those working and living in the Netherlands. At least, that is the position of the government (and likely the opposition, too)

Turkey announced a series of political sanctions against the Netherlands

It looks like the many Russian posters on this board have been right (in so many meanings of that word) in that western European forms of democracy appear to be stalling, even sliding, while authoritarian regimes like Turkey and Russia are gaining traction. I can't think of any positives that have come from Turkey or Russia, or for that matter any states run like them, e.g. Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Iran among others.

The authoritarian states have manipulated their citizens using tactics despots have used throughout the years, including creating nationalistic myths and fictions about the glories - real and imagined - of past greatness, and also finding ways to ramp up fear levels to get their publics to believe the powerful state can make them safe. Watching Europe and the US struggle to maintain their democracies while authoritarian states rise is worrisome, to say the least.

@ThePBot - I agree completely. I doubt Turkey would allow this for a second. I hope The Netherlands does not back down on this one.

I just think, in general, that it's inappropriate for politicians to go abroad and campaign to a diaspora for things happening back home. I'm pretty sure Turkey wouldn't allow some foreigner going there and campaigning to the Kurdish, or opposition party.