ALBAWABA - During the European Political Community conference in Albania, a short but unique exchange between French President Emmanuel Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went viral, sparking intense discussion and interest on social media.
A number of European leaders, including Erdoğan, Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, were present at the meeting, which began Friday in the Albanian capital, Tirana, where the event took place.
13 Seconds of Uncomfortable Tension Captured on Camera
Video video of President Erdoğan sitting and gripping Macron's hand during a talk has gone viral online. The Turkish president is shown holding onto one of Macron's fingers, perhaps the middle finger, for almost 13 seconds as the French leader slowly tries to draw away while Macron covers Erdoğan's hand with his other.
The conversation was being translated into French by a nearby interpreter as Macron, a little unsteadily, tried to release his hand.
Many social media users saw the motion as either Erdoğan's purposeful power maneuver or a subtly assertive show of authority. Rumors about the mechanics of body language were fueled by the optics of Macron rising while Erdoğan stayed sitting.
According to some analysts, the event was "symbolic," implying that given the often hostile ties between the two presidents, Erdoğan may have purposefully maintained his hold.
The exchange takes place in the midst of continuing political tensions between Ankara and Paris on a range of regional problems, such as ties with Middle Eastern states, energy policy in the Eastern Mediterranean, and NATO issues.
On the surface, the incident seemed harmless, but the internet buzz it created has given the diplomatic environment of the meeting an unanticipated level of excitement. As of this writing, neither party has made any public remarks on the event.
