Erdogan Criticises Wilders, Questions Macron’s Mental Health Again

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hit back at Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders over an insulting cartoon he shared.

“Fascism is not in our book, it’s in your book. Social justice is in our book,” Erdogan said at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the eastern Malatya province, calling Wilders a “fascist” on Sunday.

“The forces that make the world uninhabitable have put us on the target board because we disrupt their games and reveal their true faces,” Erdogan said, adding: “We will carry on.”

His remarks came after Wilders, known for his anti-Islamic stance, shared on Twitter an insulting cartoon of the Turkish president that was denounced by several Turkish officials including Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Reactions to Wilders

“When truth spoken to their faces Europe’s loser racists showed up again. Trying to exploit Islamophobia and xenophobia. Time has come to stop Europe’s spoiled politicians with fascist mindset,” Cavusoglu said on Twitter.

“Immoral, antihuman and fascist…,” said AK Party spokesman Omer Celik on Twitter in response to the post, along with the hashtag #TerroristGeertWilders.

Fahrettin Altun, Turkey’s communications director, also took to Twitter in criticism of anti-Islamic stance.

“Europe is an increasingly dangerous place for Muslims. The dog whistle politics of offensive caricatures, accusations of separatism against Muslims, and mosque raids isn’t about freedom of expression,” Altun warned.

READ MORE: Police raid on Berlin mosque brings “Europe closer to Middle Ages”– Erdogan

Erdogan renews call for Macron to undergo mental checks

Meanwhile, President Erdogan renewed his call for his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to undergo mental checks on Sunday, a day after his comments prompted Paris to recall its envoy to Ankara.

READ MORE: Erdogan warns of Europe’s self-destructive Islamophobia

The Turkish leader accused Macron of being “obsessed with Erdogan day and night”, in a televised speech in the eastern Anatolian city of Malatya.

Erdogan said Macron had “lost his way”, in his second sharp criticism of the French leader in two days over the treatment of Muslims.

“The person in charge of France has lost his way. He goes on about Erdogan all day. Look at yourself first and where you are going. I said in Kayseri yesterday, he is a case and he really must be checked up,” Erdogan said.

READ MORE: More outrage over Macron’s anti-Islam comments

Tense relations

Relations between Macron and Erdogan have become increasingly strained over a number of issues.

They include French support for Greece in its dispute with Turkey over maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean, and French criticism of Turkey’s involvement in Libya, Syria and the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

READ MORE: Turkey, Greece cancel drills in Eastern Mediterranean – NATO

READ MORE: US, Russia and France stand by Armenia: Erdogan

The French leader this month declared war on “Islamist separatism”, which he believes is taking over some Muslim communities in France.

The debate over France’s policies toward Muslims was given new impetus by the murder this month in France of a teacher who showed his class a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed.

READ MORE: France to honour slain teacher as Macron intensifies police crackdown

Macron’s office said on Saturday France had gathered its European partners, who share France’s demand that Turkey puts a stop to its “dangerous adventures” in the Mediterranean and in the region.

It said Erdogan had two months to respond or face measures, noting the absence of a condolence message from Turkey’s leader after the history teacher’s death last week.

READ MORE: French politicians use anti-Islam rhetoric to gain political mileage – OIC