BERLIN, March 22 (Xinhua) -- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was sworn in on Wednesday, has called on Turkey to stop comparing Berlin to Nazis in his inaugural speech.
Steinmeier also urged Turkey to release the German correspondent of the newspaper "Die Welt", Deniz Yucel, who was detained in Istanbul over his reports.
On the rising populism trends, Steinmeier said that "a new fascination of authoritarians" has penetrated deep into Europe.
"We must not only talk about democracy, but we have to relearn how to fight against them," he said.
Steinmeier took the oath of office at a joint session of Germany's lower house, Bundestag and the upper house, Bundesrat, before being received at president's residence Bellevue Palace.
Steinmeier, a 61-year-old Social Democrat, was the ex-foreign minister before replaced by Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel in January this year.
He was often referred to as a political veteran and known for his post as chief of staff under former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the late 1990s and his role in passing a package of economic and welfare reforms in 2003, according to Deutsch Presse Agentur.
