Merkel ally says Erdogan 'not welcome' in Germany

Berlin

TURKISH President Tayyip Erdogan has crossed a line by comparing Berlin's government to the Nazis and he and other officials are no longer welcome in Germany, a senior ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.

The rebuke from Volker Bouffier, vice-chairman of Ms Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, reflects growing exasperation over Mr Erdogan's assertions that Germany and other European powers were using Nazi tactics by banning Turkish political rallies in their territories.