French President Emmanuel Macron has lumped the three very different figures of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan into the same category saying that they all see the world in terms of ‘power’. The clear question is, what is the antithesis of power in this instance? But like with most strange accusations made by Macron, he refused to clarify his cryptic remark.
Frankly, the only thing that the three leaders have in common is that their speeches are far easier to understand than Macron whose rhetoric is often impenetrable even in his native language.
But of the three leaders Macron picked on, Erdogan is the only one famous for being unpredictable, flippant, overly prideful, arrogant and often undiplomatic. In this sense he is the only one like Macron.
Macron is however in fact worse.
Here’s why.
1. Erdogan Would Never Insult Trump, Putin or Xi
Even many seasoned western diplomats have commented on the agitated schoolboy attitude that Macron displayed in front of Vladimir Putin by insulting the leader of a vastly more powerful nation to his face and when he was an invited guest no less. It is virtually unheard of for a President who invites a foregn leader as a guest to use a public press conference to slander the media, domestic policies and foreign policies of the guest in question, but this is exactly what Macron did to President Putin.
Then there is the homoerotic handshake that Macron gave to a rather bemused and bored looking Donald Trump, something that strikes of arrogance as much as oddness.
Erdogan is at least wise enough to generally only talk about his desire to build a new-Ottoman style Turkish power base in front of his own supporters at home. When meeting with the Presidents of superpowers whether Russia, China or the United States, Erdogan is always considerably more measured in his words, even if his pompous attitude at times slips through.
In other-words the Erdogan at home is much more unhinged than the Erdogan abroad, especially when he’s with leaders of more powerful countries.
Erdogan is flippant but not stupid. Macron appears to be both.
2. Erdogan Is Actually In Charge
One way to command respect is to actually have the ability to back up what is said. While Erdogan’s ambitions of re-conquering former Ottoman lands will probably not be able to happen, the fact is that Erdogan rules Turkey with a supreme, near dictatorial level of control. His army is his, so is his diplomatic corps. A recent Presidential Referendum in Turkey made the powers of the Turkish Parliament more or less irrelevant.
Macron by contrast has a domestic policy which he more or less happily surrenders to the EU and a foreign policy controlled by NATO.
Vladimir Putin was quick to question whether France has a military policy in Syria that is independent of the agenda and tone set by the United States. This remark quickly shut Macron up.
3. Erdgoan Preaches But He Doesn’t Lecture
Erdogan likes to tell other countries that they need to become more ‘Turk friendly’ and that it is somehow the right and duty of Turks to go forth and carry good tidings of the Sultan. When this is directed at country’s once enslaved by Ottoman Turkey such remarks are inflammatory. But when the remarks are directed at western and central Europe (as they often are), it is rather amusing as these European countries are doing far more to destroy themselves than Erdogan and his followers ever could.
By contrast, Macron lectured Vladimir Putin like a little schoolgirl trying to overcompensate for lack of affection from her parents by brown nosing the teacher. It’s a kind of sickness. Putin was not amused. He kept his cool and doubtlessly restrained his desire to teach Macron why he has a black belt in Judo.
Macron also wants to lecture Donald Trump about the glories of doing politics like the loser that Macron is. I’m sure Trump is far more frightened of Mar-A-Lago running out of chocolate cake than he is of Macron’s threats.
Erdogan is naked in his desire to spread his own unique definition of Turkishness throughout parts of the world. Macron by contrsast thinks the entire world should become as weak and compromised and ideologically driven by liberalism as he is. The rest of the world doesn’t care and never will. He ought to realise that.
4. Sultans Command More Respect Than Pussies
Erdogan has earned the nickname ‘Mad Sultan’ among his detractors. He’s earned it for good reason. He behaves like a neo-Ottoman sultan in terms of his policies even though he’s more of a right-wing South American style dictator in terms of his style and execution of governance.
READ MORE: Erdogan: a mad sultan or a far-right South American style dictator?
It may be mad but it is bold.
Macron’s by style can best be described in the inimitable words of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov when he commented on the American election circus…
5. Turkey Is Still A Relevant Nation
With few exceptions a leader is only as powerful and consequently respected as his country is powerful. Turkey, whether one loves or hates Erdogan, is a powerful country with an economy which holds a great deal of potential and a young vibrant population.
Turkey is changing the course of regional history, right now for the worse but because of this, Turkey cannot be ignored and should not be. There was a Turkey before Erdogan and there will be a Turkey long after him. Russia’s leadership realises this which is why they conduct good relations with Erdogan in spite of many difficult prevailing circumstances.
France by contrast is merely a province. It is a political province of the EU, a military and foreign policy province of the US and an economic province of the Rothschild banking cartel whose butler is now the President.
Macron’s inability to think normally, logically and reasonable will be his undoing. Erdogan has managed to be strong enough and at times wise enough not to let his much more manly ego get in the way.
The post 5 reasons Macron is more unstable than Erdgoan appeared first on The Duran.