Turkish lawmaker says Macron's remarks hurt peace

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - A senior Turkish lawmaker on Tuesday criticized the French president over his controversial plans to crack down on "Islamist separatism," and continue publishing blasphemous cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

Emmanuel Macron's "discriminatory" and "exclusionary" attitude toward Muslims hurts social peace in France, Mustafa Yeneroglu, a deputy from Istanbul representing the Democracy and Progress Party, told reporters in parliament.

France is giving up freedom of minorities for populism.

"Hate speeches towards minorities are increasing xenophobia and Islamophobia in Europe by the day, which is very worrying," he said.

Macron has sparked outrage across the Muslim world by accusing French Muslims of “separatism,” and describing Islam as a “a religion in crisis."

This coincided with the murder of a French teacher who showed caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. Macron paid tribute to him, and said France would "not give up our cartoons."

Several Arab countries, Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan have censured Macron’s attitude toward Muslims and Islam, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying the French leader needs "mental treatment."

While calls for a boycott on French products are also circulating online in many states, Erdogan has urged Turks "to never help French brands or buy them."