Erdogan calls on Turks to boycott French products

After suggesting French President Emmanuel Macron should undergo “mental health checks”, his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan has joined growing calls in Muslim countries for a boycott of French goods.

“European politicians should say ‘stop’ to the hate campaign led by French President Macron,” Erdogan said.

France has recalled its envoy to Turkey and called for the boycott to “stop immediately”.

It comes after Macron defended the right to caricature the Prophet Muhammad in the wake of the beheading of Samuel Paty, a teacher who showed pupils the drawings during a discussion on the freedom of speech.

While criticising the caricatures, Erdogan’s spokesman also condemned the killing, calling it “monstrous” and “barbarism”.

Meanwhile, from Morocco to Bangladesh, protesters and traders in several countries have pledged to clear the shelves of French goods.