Caricatures: Emmanuel Macron explains himself on Al Jazeera and denounces "the manipulations"
Emmanuel Macron clarified on Al Jazeera the position of France (Photo illustration).
AP Photo / Christophe Ena
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
In an interview with the channel of Qatar Al Jazeera, Emmanuel Macron tried this Saturday, October 31 to appease the wave of anger which targets France in the Muslim world.
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This Saturday, Emmanuel Macron tried to explain the French position and denounced "
misunderstandings and manipulations
".
“
I understand and respect that one can be shocked by these cartoons.
I will never accept that we can justify physical violence for these cartoons,
”he said.
The words of the French president defending the right to caricature the Prophet Muhammad have led to anti-French protests and calls to boycott French products in several countries.
In this long interview with Al Jazeera, Emmanuel Macron says he wants to dispel misunderstandings: France is a country where Islam, like all religions, "is
exercised freely
", assures the French president, who engages in an exercise of explanation of French secularism and also of freedom of expression.
"
It was not the official journals or the French government that made these cartoons,
" he recalls.
But “
the freedom to draw and caricature
” is part of the law.
"I have never insulted a leader, whoever he is"
The Head of State then denounces "
lies
" and "
manipulations
", which, according to him, are at the origin of many angry reactions observed in recent days in the Muslim world.
Emmanuel Macron speaks of an “
unworthy
” and “
inadmissible
”
campaign
of calls to boycott French products.
Regarding the Turkish president, Reccep Tayip Erdogan, who questioned the mental health of the French president, the latter replied: "
I have never insulted a leader, whoever he is
".
Emmanuel Macron says he wants "
appeasement
" with Ankara but ensures that it depends above all on Turkey, whose "
belligerent behavior
" he deplores
.
In his answers to Al Jazeera's questions, the French president also discusses the fight against terrorism at length.
Terrorism "
in the name of Islam
" is also "
a scourge for Muslims around the world
", according to Emmanuel Macron.
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