Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he hoped France would get rid of its president Emmanuel Macron as soon as possible, the latest salvo in an escalating war of words between the two leaders.

Turkey is embroiled in a series of disputes with France and its EU partners, from tensions in the eastern Mediterranean to the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The spat has risen to new levels in recent months as France has moved to crack down on extremism after several attacks on its soil.

“Macron is trouble for France. With Macron, France is passing through a very, very dangerous period. I hope that France will get rid of Macron trouble as soon as possible,” the president told reporters after Friday prayers in Istanbul.

He said the French should dump their leader “otherwise they will not be able to get rid of yellow vests”, referring to the protest movement that erupted in France in 2018.

“Yellow vests could later turn into red vests,” Erdogan said, without elaborating.

The Turkish leader has repeatedly suggested that Macron get “mental checks” and urged the Turkish people to boycott French-labelled products. (Agency inputs)