Right-wing populists in various countries are united by one thing, said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday. "They make politics with fear."

Steinmeier added the same applies to Germany's own nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, supporters of Britain's exit from the EU and to "the hate preachers, like Donald Trump at the moment in the USA."

A member of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior party in Germany's governing coalition, Steinmeier has long been a vocal critic of Trump.

His comments follow those of French President Francois Hollande and others in the US condemning Trump for his often divisive rhetoric.

Recent polls have shown Trump trailing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton ahead of the November presidential election.

Some leading members in Trump's own Republican Party have even voiced concern a Trump victory could further divide an already divided party.

Turkey talks strained

Speaking on another subject, Steinmeier also said talks between Germany and Turkey were strained after last month's failed coup attempt and Turkey's subsequent crackdown on suspected putschists.

"There is virtually no basis for discussions at the moment," he said, given Turkey's perception that Germany had not taken the coup attempt seriously and Germany's concerns about subsequent mass arrests and dismissals in Turkey.

Steinmeier said reinstatement of the death penalty in Turkey would prevent its entry into the EU, but warned against prematurely halting discussions with Ankara.

jbh/cmk (AP, Reuters)