Erdogan encourages Turks in Europe to have more children
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Children
Istanbul, March 17, 2017 (dpa/NAN) Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday called on Turkish origins living in Europe to have at least five children, as row with European leaders shows no signs of abating.
“I appeal to my citizens and brothers in Europe: where you work and live is now your new homeland.
“Be firmly committed, create more businesses, send your children to better schools, drive the best cars and live in the nicest houses.
“Do not have three, but five children, you are the future of Europe,” Erdogan told his supporters at a campaign rally in Eskisehir, in North-Western Turkey.
He claimed that Europeans were intolerant of Turks who owned their own businesses, saying “but they do not object to a Turk working in a factory.”
Erdogan’s remarks come amid growing rows with European nations with large Turkish populations, especially Germany and the Netherlands, over bans on Turkish ministers campaigning abroad.
Turkish officials, including Erdogan, have dubbed European leaders “fascists” and regularly hurl “Nazi” insults at them.
German Interior Minister Thomas de-Maiziere recently accused the Turkish government of using the provocations as a political “manoeuvre” to drum up support for a controversial constitutional amendment that would give Erdogan increased powers as president.
“The goal is to bring Turkey into a victim role and the critics (of the new changes) into agreeing to the constitutional amendment.
“This is because they can declare their solidarity with Turkey,” de Maiziere said at a political party conference in the western German city of St Wendel. (dpa/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Felix Ajide