How to Piss Off a Despot

The Germans know a tyrant when they see one. Recep Erdogan, Turkey's strongman, got supremely pissed off at a satirical video mocking the Boss of the Bosporus aired by the German public broadcaster, NDR.



By summoning Germany’s ambassador, Erdogan has continued efforts to extend the reach of his crackdown on free speech beyond Turkey’s borders. This month, Der Spiegel, the magazine that broke the story of the diplomatic spat over the video, had to withdraw its Istanbul correspondent over concerns about the government’s treatment of the press.