Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who is pushing for executive powers, cites Hitler's Germany as an example of an effective presidential system, in comments broadcast by Turkish media on Friday.
Erdogan wants to change the Turkish constitution to turn the ceremonial role of president into that of a chief executive, a Turkish version of the system in the United States, France or Russia.
"There are later examples in various other countries," he told reporters, according to a recording broadcast by the Dogan news agency.
"Nazi Germany, lacking proper institutional arrangements, was obviously one of the most disgraceful examples in history."
The ruling AK Party, founded by Erdogan, has put a new constitution at the heart of its agenda after winning back a majority in a November parliamentary election.
