After arousing controversy by questioning the "mental health" of Emmanuel Macron, whom he accused of Islamophobia after his announcements targeting radical Islamism and his defense of freedom of expression about the cartoons of Mahomet, Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Monday, October 26, to boycott French products.
For the former journalist Nahida Nakad, consultant in international relations within the think tank Public Diplomacy and specialist in the Middle East, the Turkish president is engaged in a deliberate policy of entryism and destabilization in several countries of the world, including France. .
Turkey, she notes, is "the first country in terms of financing Islam".
If the Turkish president "supports political Islam in Libya and Islamist movements in Syria", he is above all "an expansionist leader who uses religion to intervene in different regions of the world and seek to control them".
What is the influence of Turkey in France?
NAHIDA NAKAD.
It is the first country in terms of financing Islam.
Because its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has placed a conquering Islam at the heart of his foreign policy.
Today in France there are 151 imams from Turkey, 65% of whom happen to be civil servants from that country.
They therefore follow the ideology decreed by the authorities to the letter.
By way of comparison, there are 120 imams from Algeria and 30 from Morocco.
Countries whose nationals are however much more numerous on our territory.
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How to qualify Erdogan's ideology?
His thought is rooted in that of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Erdogan supports political Islam in Libya and Islamist movements in Syria.
But in reality, for him, it is less a question of religion than of politics: Erdogan is an expansionist leader who uses religion to intervene in different regions of the world and seek to control them.
France is right not to let Turkey, whose policy is extremely aggressive.
We cannot allow a country that wants to gain the upper hand in the Eastern Mediterranean, supports Islamist movements and blackmail refugees in Europe.
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Why is Erdogan particularly targeting France?
France is very attached to secularism.
DNA contrary to Erdogan's approach.
In addition, tensions are increasing between the two countries.
In the Mediterranean, France supports Greece and opposes Turkey's desire to drill off Cyprus.
It is also against the Islamists in Libya.
Finally, France has the largest Muslim community in Europe.
This is why Erdogan attaches so much importance to our country.
Remember his official visit to Paris in January 2018. He took the opportunity, on the sidelines of a meeting at the Elysee Palace, to mobilize the Turkish community before the presidential election.
