France-Turkey tensions: Erdogan asks the Turks to boycott French products
Turkish President Recep Tayyio Erdogan speaks to members of his party in Malatya in eastern Turkey on October 25, 2020. Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool
2 min
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday called on the Turks to boycott French products, in the midst of a dispute with Paris over the treatment of Muslims in France and after the proliferation of demonstrations and calls for boycott in several countries in the Middle East.
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"
Just as in France some say
'do not buy Turkish brands',
I am addressing my nation here: above all, do not pay attention to French brands, do not buy them,
" said Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a speech in Ankara this Monday, October 26.
"
A lynching campaign similar to that against European Jews before WWII is being waged against Muslims,
" he added, accusing some European leaders of "
fascism
" and "
Nazism
".
".
The Turkish leader criticizes his French counterpart for having promised that France would continue to defend the cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, a promise made during the national tribute to Professor Samuel Paty, a professor beheaded in an Islamist attack for showing these drawings in class .
These remarks sparked a flood of criticism in the Muslim world, from political and religious leaders, elected officials but also ordinary citizens on social networks and provoked demonstrations and calls to boycott French products.
Repeated attacks against Macron
Two weeks ago, the Turkish president had already denounced as a provocation the declarations of Emmanuel Macron on “
Islamist separatism
” and the need to “
structure Islam
” in France.
Erdogan then questioned Emmanuel Macron's mental health
, suggesting that he do “
mental health exams
”.
Attack repeated a second time during the last weekend.
The French president, however, recorded a series of support in Europe, including that of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who condemned "
defamatory
"
remarks
against him.
(With AFP)
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