“Nothing will make us back down”: Macron raises his voice against Erdogan

On Twitter, Emmanuel Macron posted a series of tweets, in French, English and Arabic in response to Erdogan’s attacks. The Turkish president again attacked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, October 25, reiterating his doubts about his mental health, the day after similar remarks which led to a strong reaction from Paris who recalled his ambassador “for consultations”. During a televised speech in the city of Malatya in Anatolia (east), the Turkish president this time accused Emmanuel Macron of being “obsessed with Erdogan day and night”. “He’s a case, and as a result he really needs to undergo (mental) exams,” he repeated.

This Sunday, October 25, on his Twitter account, Emmanuel Macron said that these attacks will not make him back down. “Freedom, we cherish it; equality, we guarantee it; fraternity, we live it with intensity. Nothing will make us retreat, ever ”, he first wrote, before chaining the following messages:“ Our history is that of the fight against tyrannies and fanaticisms. We will continue ”,“ We ​​will continue. We respect all differences in a spirit of peace. We never accept hate speech and stand for reasonable debate. ”

” We are united “

Then he adds: “We will continue. We will always stand on the side of human dignity and universal values. “To conclude, the President of the Republic posted an inscription on which it is written:” We are one. We are united. The day before, the French presidency had denounced remarks deemed “unacceptable” by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had already questioned “the mental health” of his French counterpart because of his attitude towards Muslims.

“President Erdogan’s words are unacceptable. Exaggeration and rudeness are not a method. We demand Erdogan to change the course of his policy because it is dangerous from all points of view. We do not enter into unnecessary controversies and do not accept insults, ”commented the Elysee to Agence France-Presse, announcing the recall for consultation of the French ambassador in Ankara.

“France also notes the absence of messages of condolence and support from the Turkish president after the assassination of Samuel Paty,” added the Elysee, a week after the murder by an Islamist of this teacher, beheaded near his college in the Parisian suburbs. The French presidency had also underlined the “very offensive statements of recent days” by the Turkish president, “in particular on the call for a boycott of French products”.

Charges to which the Turkish Foreign Ministry responded this Sunday, October 25. In a statement released on Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry declared that “Turkey, which has been fighting for years against all kinds of terror and violence, has been saddened by the murder of Samuel Paty”. “This sadness was expressed by its first representative in France, Ambassador Ismail Hakki Musa”, he adds.

A few hours earlier, the Turkish president had interfered in the debate of Islam in France, criticizing with virulence the attitude of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron towards Muslims. “All that can be said of a head of state who treats millions of members of different religious communities in this way is: go for mental health examinations first,” he said in a televised speech.

Erdogan considers anti-separatism bill a provocation

Two weeks ago, Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced as a provocation the declarations of the French president on “Islamist separatism” and the need to “structure Islam” in France. A bill on the fight against “separatism” in France, which targets radical Islam, must be presented in early December. It intends in particular to strengthen secularism and consolidate republican principles in France and includes several points likely to provoke tensions with Turkey, such as the reinforced control o

This dispute comes on top of a long list of disagreements between Emmanuel Macron and his Turkish counterpart, who regularly defends Muslim minorities around the world. Tensions in the Mediterranean to the conflict in Libya, through the clashes in Karabakh, many issues currently oppose Paris and Ankara.