ANKARA: Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan slammed French President EmmanuelMacron on Friday and hoped that the French people will soon get rid of himas he described the French leader as a burden on his country.

Ties between Turkey and France, both NATO members, have been particularlytense in recent months over policy differences on Syria and the publishingof caricatures about Prophet Mohammad in France.

“Macron is a burden on France. Macron and France are going through a verydangerous period actually,” Erdogan told reporters, referring to protestsin French cities.

“My hope is that France gets rid of the Macron trouble as soon aspossible.”