PodcastMerkel condemns Erdoğan's 'defamatory' remarks against Macron
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's "defamatory" remarks against French President Emmanuel Macron and voiced solidarity with Paris. “They are defamatory comments that are completely unacceptable, particularly against the backdrop of the horrific murder of the French teacher Samuel Paty by an Islamist fanatic,” Merkel's spokesman Seibert said.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's "defamatory" remarks against French President Emmanuel Macron, saying that they are "unacceptable."
Merkel's spokesperson Steffen Seibert said that the chancellor strongly condemns Erdoğan, who questioned Macron's mental health, and that she expresses solidarity with Paris.
“They are defamatory comments that are completely unacceptable, particularly against the backdrop of the horrific murder of the French teacher Samuel Paty by an Islamist fanatic,” Seibert said, referring to a teacher who was beheaded for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to pupils in France in a lesson on free speech earlier this month.
European leaders have been voicing support to Macron in the latest row between Turkey and France.
EU spokesman Peter Stano said on Oct. 26 he did not exclude an urgent meeting of EU ministers at an earlier date following Erdoğan's latest comments.
"We clearly expect a change in action and declarations from the Turkish side," Stano said at a news conference, adding that there would be many discussions "to see whether we are going to continue to wait or take action earlier."
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