Erdoğan to Macron: Who are you to propose reconstruction of Islam?

Delivering a speech during an event in the capital Ankara on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan severely criticized French President Emmanuel Macron's recent remarks about Islam, and calling them "disrespectful and provocation".

"Have we ever said Christianity, Judaism should be reconstructed? Who are you to propose the reconstruction of Islam?," Erdoğan underlined in his address as targeting French leader for his anti-Islamic discourse.

Macron last week described Islam as a religion "in crisis" worldwide and said the government would present a bill in December to strengthen a 1905 law that officially separated church and state in France.

He announced stricter oversight of schooling and better control over foreign funding of mosques.

The statement sparked criticism among Muslims worldwide.

Turkish and French leaders are already at odds over maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean, Libya and the latest conflict in Armenian-occupied Upper-Karabakh.

Erdoğan advised Macron "to pay more attention while talking about issues that he is ignorant about."

"We expect him to act as a responsible statesman rather than act like a colonial governor."

"Attacking Muslims has become one of the most important tools for European politicians to hide their failure," Turkish leader pointed out.

In many Western countries, racism and Islamophobia are safeguarded by the state itself, the president concluded as referring to the increasement of anti-Muslim sentiments across the world.