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| Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdogan refused French President Emmanuel Macron's attempt to kiss her hand in Image |
A NATO leaders' dinner in Ankara witnessed a protocol incident that sparked controversy on social media, as Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdogan refused French President Emmanuel Macron's attempt to kiss her hand.
The scene brought back memories of a similar incident at the Élysée Palace in Paris in 2018, when Macron, during his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his wife in 2018, tried to kiss Mrs. Emine’s hand, but she withdrew her hand at that time as well, in a stance that reflects her commitment to Islamic customs and traditions that prohibit physical contact between a man and a woman who are not related.
In Islamic tradition, physical contact between a man and a woman who are not related is considered inappropriate and forbidden, regardless of who initiates it. While this is not the first time Macron has made such a mistake—he attempted it again in 2018—the incident sparked a wave of ridicule and criticism in Turkish circles, especially after photos and videos circulated showing the moment he withdrew his hand.
Official photos from the dinner showed President Erdogan and Macron holding hands during the meeting, while neither was seen holding his wife's hand, in a scene that some considered an attempt by both sides to overcome previous embarrassment.
This incident comes within the context of a complex relationship between the two presidents. Recent years have witnessed numerous diplomatic tensions between Ankara and Paris, punctuated by sharp exchanges and political skirmishes, particularly concerning regional issues such as Libya, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Syria. This strained relationship seems to occasionally manifest itself in official meetings, as seen in the prolonged handshake in Tirana in 2015, which lasted for more than 10 seconds with fingers clasped. Erdogan then gripped Macron's hand firmly, pushing him away during the handshake. They later switched roles before posing for a photo at the NATO summit in The Hague weeks later. These are gestures Erdogan has not repeated with any other leader except Macron, raising questions about whether they were merely coincidental or nonverbal messages reflecting underlying tension between the two men.
Social media users in Turkey reacted to the incident, with some praising Mrs. Emine Erdogan’s stance, considering that she upheld Islamic traditions in the face of what they described as a “protocol breach,” while others criticized Macron for repeating the same attempt despite being aware of Turkish customs, and questioned the reasons for his insistence on this behavior despite the repeated embarrassment he is subjected to.
