Controversy with Erdogan: Marine Le Pen calls for toughening up the...

Published on : 25/10/2020 – 13:50

Paris (AFP)

RN President Marine Le Pen reacted on Sunday to verbal attacks against President Emmanuel Macron by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, calling for a stronger French and European response.

The recall to Paris of the French ambassador in Ankara “is a significant gesture, we can not say that it is a strong gesture”, she estimated during the Grand Jury RTL-Le Figaro-LCI.

Following the Elysee Palace on Saturday evening, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, denounced Sunday the “unacceptable” words of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had questioned “the mental health” of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron because of his attitude towards Muslims.

Ms. Le Pen invited to turn to the European Union to question it on its “total complacency” towards Turkey. Ankara, she argued, is “blackmailing” the detention of migrants present on its soil in exchange for “billions” paid by Brussels. According to her, “a clear signal” would be “to stop paying them money first”.

“Mr. Erdogan has chosen not to offer condolences after the beheading of a professor and prefers to seriously insult the President of the Republic while France is in mourning. The recall of our ambassador was inevitable and must be welcomed”, had previously tweeted Ms. Le Pen.

LR deputy Eric Ciotti ruled that “this Turkey has nothing more to do in NATO and cannot join the European Union! It is time to assert itself and to be clear on the scene international “.

© 2020 AFP