The Turkish president, left, and the French president, right, have been involved in a war of words. /AFP
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has joined growing calls for a boycott of French goods as the backlash continues in Muslim-majority countries over the decision to republish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in France.
Erdogan has been one of the most vocal critics of French President Emmanuel Macron in the past few days, who he claims is pursuing an anti-Islam agenda.
"I am now telling my nation, just as they are saying in France not to buy anything from Turkish brands," said Erdogan. "I call on my nation here and now, do not pay attention to French-labelled goods, do not buy them."
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The French government hit back at Erdogan and criticized Turkey's call to stop buying French goods.
"The head of state of Turkey is using what's happening in our country for domestic political gains," said Roselyne Bachelot, the culture minister.
The France-Turkey relationship has already deteriorated politically over Libya, Syria and the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
But Stephane Salvetat, head of the France-Turkey chamber of commerce, says that the globalized nature of world supply chains means that a boycott is not a simple economic tool that will only affect one side.
"In Turkey we have more than 500 French companies who produce in Turkey," he told CGTN Europe.
"So if President Erdogan says they will boycott some French products, it means that they will also boycott Turkish products.”
There have been anti-France demonstrations across the Middle East and Asia, in Bangladesh, Turkey and Pakistan.
Anger has been spreading in Muslim-majority countries after Macron criticized Islamists and vowed not to "give up cartoons."
The French national motto includes the word "liberty" and Macron has said that means freedom of religion as well as freedom of the press.
Ten days ago a French schoolteacher was beheaded after he showed drawings of the Prophet Mohammed during a class on free speech.
Samuel Paty, 47, died after being attacked by an 18-year-old Chechen immigrant to France.