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| Turkey referendum: Clashes as Dutch expel minister | Turkey referendum: Clashes as Dutch expel minister |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Dutch riot police have clashed with protesters in Rotterdam, amid a diplomatic row that saw a Turkish minister escorted out of the country. | Dutch riot police have clashed with protesters in Rotterdam, amid a diplomatic row that saw a Turkish minister escorted out of the country. |
| Water cannon and police on horseback were used to disperse about 1,000 people outside the Turkish consulate. | Water cannon and police on horseback were used to disperse about 1,000 people outside the Turkish consulate. |
| The minister was trying to win support among expatriates for a referendum on expanding Turkish presidential powers. | The minister was trying to win support among expatriates for a referendum on expanding Turkish presidential powers. |
| The Dutch government says such rallies would stoke tensions days before the Netherlands' general election. | The Dutch government says such rallies would stoke tensions days before the Netherlands' general election. |
| Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stepped up the war of words on Sunday, telling a ceremony in Istanbul: "Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price." | |
| Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, Turkey's family minister, had arrived by road on Saturday ahead of her planned rally. | Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, Turkey's family minister, had arrived by road on Saturday ahead of her planned rally. |
| However, she was denied entry to the consulate in Rotterdam and taken to the German border by police. | However, she was denied entry to the consulate in Rotterdam and taken to the German border by police. |
| Earlier, the Netherlands had barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from entering the country by plane. He has now travelled to Metz in northern France to address a rally there on Sunday. | Earlier, the Netherlands had barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from entering the country by plane. He has now travelled to Metz in northern France to address a rally there on Sunday. |
| In a Facebook post, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said attempts to find a "reasonable solution" to the two countries' differences had proved "impossible", while dismissing Ms Kaya's arrival in Rotterdam as "irresponsible". | In a Facebook post, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said attempts to find a "reasonable solution" to the two countries' differences had proved "impossible", while dismissing Ms Kaya's arrival in Rotterdam as "irresponsible". |
| Ms Kaya said on Twitter: "The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behaviour against a female minister can never be accepted." | Ms Kaya said on Twitter: "The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behaviour against a female minister can never be accepted." |
| Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Sunday that Turkey would respond in the "harshest ways" to this "unacceptable behaviour". | Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Sunday that Turkey would respond in the "harshest ways" to this "unacceptable behaviour". |
| Ms Kaya later flew back to Istanbul. | Ms Kaya later flew back to Istanbul. |
| After arriving she said: "We were subjected to rude and rough treatment... Treating a female minister this way is very ugly." | After arriving she said: "We were subjected to rude and rough treatment... Treating a female minister this way is very ugly." |
| Protests were held on Sunday outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, where the Netherlands' flag was replaced with a Turkish one. | Protests were held on Sunday outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, where the Netherlands' flag was replaced with a Turkish one. |
| Mr Erdogan on Saturday denounced the Dutch government as "Nazi remnants and fascists" for denying the rallies. | |
| The BBC's Turkey correspondent, Mark Lowen, says that what began as a diplomatic row has turned into a full-blown bilateral crisis. | The BBC's Turkey correspondent, Mark Lowen, says that what began as a diplomatic row has turned into a full-blown bilateral crisis. |
| Reports say the owner of a venue in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, has now cancelled a pro-Erdogan rally on Sunday that was to have been attended by Turkey's agriculture minister. Sweden's foreign ministry said it was not involved in the decision. | Reports say the owner of a venue in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, has now cancelled a pro-Erdogan rally on Sunday that was to have been attended by Turkey's agriculture minister. Sweden's foreign ministry said it was not involved in the decision. |
| What is the row about? | What is the row about? |
| Turkey is holding a referendum on 16 April on whether to turn from a parliamentary to a presidential republic, more akin to the United States. | Turkey is holding a referendum on 16 April on whether to turn from a parliamentary to a presidential republic, more akin to the United States. |
| If successful, it would give sweeping new powers to the president, allowing him or her to appoint ministers, prepare the budget, choose the majority of senior judges and enact certain laws by decree. | If successful, it would give sweeping new powers to the president, allowing him or her to appoint ministers, prepare the budget, choose the majority of senior judges and enact certain laws by decree. |
| What's more, the president alone would be able to announce a state of emergency and dismiss parliament. | What's more, the president alone would be able to announce a state of emergency and dismiss parliament. |
| In order to get it passed, Mr Erdogan needs the votes of citizens living within Turkey and abroad. | In order to get it passed, Mr Erdogan needs the votes of citizens living within Turkey and abroad. |
| There are 5.5 million Turks living outside the country, with 1.4 million eligible voters in Germany alone - and the Yes campaign is keen to get them on side. | There are 5.5 million Turks living outside the country, with 1.4 million eligible voters in Germany alone - and the Yes campaign is keen to get them on side. |
| So a number of rallies have been planned for countries with large numbers of expat voters, including Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. | So a number of rallies have been planned for countries with large numbers of expat voters, including Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. |
| However, Mr Erdogan's supporters have found themselves blocked from holding these rallies. | However, Mr Erdogan's supporters have found themselves blocked from holding these rallies. |
| Why are countries trying to prevent the rallies? | Why are countries trying to prevent the rallies? |
| Many of the countries have cited security concerns as the official reason. | Many of the countries have cited security concerns as the official reason. |
| Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said Mr Erdogan was not welcome to hold rallies as this could increase friction and hinder integration. | Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said Mr Erdogan was not welcome to hold rallies as this could increase friction and hinder integration. |
| Mr Rutte said the Netherlands asked Turkey to desist as they feared "compromised public order and security". | Mr Rutte said the Netherlands asked Turkey to desist as they feared "compromised public order and security". |
| The Dutch government is also facing a severe electoral challenge from the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in its election on Wednesday. | The Dutch government is also facing a severe electoral challenge from the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in its election on Wednesday. |
| Many European nations have also expressed deep disquiet about Turkey's response to the July coup attempt and the country's perceived slide towards authoritarianism under President Erdogan. | Many European nations have also expressed deep disquiet about Turkey's response to the July coup attempt and the country's perceived slide towards authoritarianism under President Erdogan. |
| Germany in particular has been critical of the mass arrests and purges that followed - with nearly 100,000 civil servants removed from their posts. | Germany in particular has been critical of the mass arrests and purges that followed - with nearly 100,000 civil servants removed from their posts. |