Emmanuel Macron tried to kiss the hand of Turkey’s First Lady, her reaction caused a stir on social media

An unusual diplomatic moment between French President Emmanuel Macron and Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan became one of the most talked-about topics on social media after a video of their meeting surfaced.

A viral video shows Macron approaching Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan during an official greeting.

At one point, the French president leans toward the first lady, which many social media users interpreted as an attempt to kiss her hand. However, Emine Erdogan quickly pulls her hand away, after which the greeting continues without further incident.

The video quickly racked up millions of views, and the internet was flooded with comments and various interpretations of the encounter. While some consider it an awkward diplomatic moment, others stress that it is not possible to conclude with certainty what Macron’s intention was based only on the short video.

Particular attention was paid to Emine Erdogan’s calm reaction, which, according to many commenters, politely but firmly avoided a gesture that is not customary on such occasions.

In diplomatic meetings, protocol and cultural differences often play an important role, so such moments are often interpreted differently by the public.