French President Emmanuel Macron dropped a “bombshell” during a TV interview, saying Turkey would attempt to influence the French presidential elections.
“The threats are not veiled, so I think we need to be very clear,” he told France 5.
The French president did not elaborate on his concerns about Turkish “interference” in his country’s electoral process – France is scheduled to hold regional elections in June and presidential elections in 2022, with Macron and Le Pen being the two contenders.
Macron only added that “Turkey will play with public opinion ”- apparently referring to its influence in parts of the Turkish Diaspora through schools, mosques, and other organisations and groups.
Relations between Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have been strained – from religion to Libya and energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean – leading to the Turkish President’s personal attacks.
In any case, the French president added that dialogue with Turkey remains necessary. He noted that Turkey is a member of NATO and a key ally in the fight against illegal immigration to Europe from the Middle East.
“If you say we can no longer work with you, we do not want any more talks, the doors will be opened and we will have 3 million Syrian refugees arriving in Europe,” Macron said.
