While calls for a boycott of French products are increasing in many Muslim countries, Austria, Greece, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have finally reacted in support of France. This is also the case of Luxembourg through its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn, who spoke with our colleagues of RTL 5 Minutes.
Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait... For several days now, calls to boycott French products have been multiplying in many Muslim countries, in reaction to the promise made by Emmanuel Macron not to condemn the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, during the ceremony of homage to Samuel Paty. Turkey was the most virulent, with its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressing concern about the "mental health" of the French President. Asselborn stated that the direction taken by Turkey "is frightening".
Initially silent, several European countries finally gave their public support to France. Austria, Greece, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands thus declared their solidarity by condemning these appeals.
Asselborn, known for his unconstrained style of speech, reiterated the need to preserve freedom of expression in Europe, which must concern all subjects, whether "the state, ideology, or religion".
Western religious practitioners needed to understand that excluding religion from criticism and caricatures was unacceptable.
