Berlin and Ankara clash over German elections.

Relations between Ankara and Berlin have become strained after Türkiye urged Turkish citizens in Germany not to vote for the German Chancellor's ruling coalition.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (left) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Photo: Reuters.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on August 18 urged Turks in Germany not to vote for Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel's Social Democratic Party (SDP), or the Green Party, AFP reported. He called them "three parties hostile to Ankara."

This comment comes as Germany prepares to hold its general election on September 24th.

Foreign Minister Gabriel condemned Erdogan's comments as "unprecedented interference." Meanwhile, Steffen Seibert, Merkel's spokesman, "hopes that foreign governments will not interfere in Germany's internal affairs." German chancellor candidate Martin Schulz of the SPD also criticized Erdogan.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag defended Erdogan, arguing that the appeal was directed only at Turkish-born voters in Germany. "The appeal was very open and clear. But the responses were very disrespectful and arrogant," Bozdag said. "I want to condemn these responses and the disrespectful language in them."

Bozdag accused Germany of interfering in Turkey's April 16 referendum on granting more powers to Erdogan. "The German government's stance is very clear" in supporting the "no" side.

He also accused Germany of granting asylum to militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and suspects involved in the July 15, 2016 military coup who are wanted by Ankara. "Germany supports the PKK," according to Bozdag. "The PKK is a terrorist group, but Germany is protecting them."

Analysts say that around 1.2 million people of Turkish origin are eligible to vote in the September elections as German citizens.

According to VNE