France reacts after Erdogan questions Macron's mental health

France recalled its ambassador to Turkey for consultations after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said President Emmanuel Macron needed mental health treatment and made or comments that French government described as unacceptably rude.

Erdogan questioned his French counterpart's mental condition while criticizing Macron’s attitude toward Islam and Muslims. His remarks at a local party congress were an apparent response to statements Macron made this month about problems created by radical Muslims in France who practice what French leader termed “Islamist separatism.”

“What is problem of this person called Macron with Islam and Muslims?” Erdogan asked rhetorically during his Justice and Development party meeting in central Anatolian city of Kayseri.

“What else can be said to a head of state who does t understand freedom of belief and who behaves in this way to millions of people living in his country who are members of a different faith?” Turkish leader continued.

French presidency reacted hours later with a statement that said, “Excess and rudeness are t a method” and “We are t accepting insults.”

Using unusually strong langu, French presidency said, “We demand Erdogan to change his policy, which is dangerous in all aspects.”

presidency point out that Erdogan, a devout Muslim, did t offer condolences following beheading near Paris last week of a teacher who had shown in class some caricatures of Islam's Prophet Muhammad. French judicial authorities are investigating killing as an Islamist terror attack.

Tensions between NATO allies France and Turkey have intensified in recent months over issues that include fighting in Syria, Libya and Nagor-Karabakh, a region within Azerbaijan that is controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists.

Macron has tably accused Turkey of flouting its commitments by ramping up its military presence in Libya and bringing in jihadi fighters from Syria.

France also has sided with Greece and Cyprus in tensions with Turkey over offshore oil and gas drilling in eastern Mediterranean, prompting criticism from Ankara.