Erdogan's comments on Macron: France recalls its ambassador to Ankara

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during a meeting with European Council President Charles Michel, in Brussels, March 9, 2020. REUTERS / Francois Lenoir

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French President Emmanuel Macron responded strongly on Saturday to the new attacks by his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and recalled the French ambassador to Paris, a rare diplomatic act.

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The French presidency denounced the remarks deemed " 

unacceptable

 " by the Turkish president - who had questioned " 

the mental health

 " of Emmanuel Macron because of his attitude towards Muslims, but also noted "the absence of messages of condolence and support of the Turkish President after the assassination of Samuel Paty ”,

a week after the beheading

of this teacher by an Islamist near Paris.

The French wrath is reflected in the immediate recall of the French Ambassador to Ankara, it seems for the first time in the history of Franco-Turkish diplomatic relations.

The act, says the entourage of Emmanuel Macron, is " 

a very strong signal

 ".

The previous recall to Paris of a French ambassador " 

in consultation

 ", as the saying goes, dates back to February 2019, to protest against a meeting between Luigi di Maio, then Italian deputy prime minister, and "yellow vests" .

Last November, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had already questioned the mental health of Emmanuel Macron, responding to the words of the French president on the “

 brain death 

” of NATO by inviting him to “ 

examine his own brain death 

”.

Insults and provocations by Erdogan, we have had almost every week this summer

 ", we admitted on Saturday in the entourage of President Macron.

What would change this time is “ 

the context

 ”.

(With AFP)

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  • Turkey

  • France

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan

  • Diplomacy

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Turkey: Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls into question Emmanuel Macron's "mental health"