EU-Turkish spat simmers on

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly accused Dutch and German politicians of acting like "Nazis" and claiming the "spirit of fascism" is rampant in Europe. He later invoked medieval religious wars in the context of escalating tensions between the EU and Turkey. "My dear brothers, a battle has started between the cross and the half moon. There can be no other explanation," Erdogan said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, meanwhile, was not to be outdown by his boss. Speaking on Thursday, Cavusoglu said Europe was losing its unity. "Religious wars will soon begin in Europe... If things continue as they are, then it will be so." "You will learn how to behave towards us. If you do not learn, we will teach you."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed the election victory for the center-right prime minister Mark Rutte in divisive Dutch elections. "I was very happy that a high turnout led to a very pro-European result, a clear signal," she said. "I don't intend to participate in this race to trade provocations." Referring to Erdogan's attacks, she added: "The insults need to stop."

Meanwhile, Germany's Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Ankara was playing the victim with its attacks on its NATO allies to galvanize support ahead of its referendum in April. Turkish politicians had "no business" campaigning in Germany, he said. France and Germany plan to establish a European center to counter extremist propaganda and deradicalize young people, he also revealed this week.

After a week of heightened tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte emerged victorious in a bruising battle with Geert Wilders. The populist's invective against all things Muslim and anything from the EU failed to earn him the breakthrough that many had come to count on as a given.

French President Francois Hollande congratulated Rutte for his election success and his "victory against extremism." He said that "the values of openness, respect for others, and a faith in Europe's future are the only true response to the nationalist impulses and isolationism that are shaking the world." In a joint statement with Angela Merkel, he denounced Erdogan's remarks as "unacceptable."

After boosts in Britain and the United States over the past year and Wednesday's setback in the Netherlands, populism now heads to France for its next test of political viability. Now it is for Marine Le Pen of the National Front to carry the torch in presidential elections starting next month.

Meanwhile, Germany's far-right kept on message. "I can not hide the fact that we wanted Wilders to have had a better result," the leader of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) Frauke Petry said. "Wilders addressed the right issues in the election campaign, but he might not always have had the right tone. Citizens want a clear message, but they are afraid of a hard tone," Petry said.

Konstantin Kosachev, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Russian parliament, wrote that Europe had been "weakened" by the elections in the Netherlands. "French Presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron and Merkel may breathe for the time being after the victory of Rutte, but the fear among the established European elites facing the challenges of the 21st century remains palpable," he wrote.