Since the start of 2024, France and Turkey, two NATO allies with a long history of both partnership and rivalry have found themselves navigating a complex web of tensions and pragmatic cooperation. Their relationship, shaped by divergent interests in Libya, disputes over visas, evolving trade dynamics, and recurring religious controversies, remains a barometer for broader European and Mediterranean geopolitics. Drawing on recent investigations and analysis from leading Western outlets, this article unpacks the drivers of ongoing friction and the cautious steps toward dialogue that have emerged over the past 18 months.
Libya: A Deepening Fault Line
Libya remains one of the most persistent sources of discord between Paris and Ankara. Since 2020, Turkey has provided robust military support, including drones, advisors, and Syrian mercenaries to the UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli. France, while publicly backing a UN-led peace process, has faced repeated allegations of covertly supporting General Khalifa Haftar’s rival Libyan National Army (LNA) in the east, alongside Egypt and Russia. This competition is driven by both countries’ desire to shape Libya’s future political order and secure energy interests.
A Reuters report from May 2025 highlighted how the killing of militia leader Abdulghani Kikli in Tripoli further consolidated the GNU’s hold, boosting Turkey’s leverage and frustrating French attempts to maintain influence through Haftar. The two countries’ naval standoff in 2020, which led France to suspend its NATO mission role, still casts a shadow over their military cooperation. These ongoing divergences continue to strain the bilateral relationship, with Turkey accusing France of undermining UN resolutions and France wary of Turkey’s growing regional assertiveness.
Visa Disputes: The Mobility Stalemate
Visa policy has become a major irritant, especially for Ankara. Turkish citizens face some of the EU’s strictest Schengen visa requirements, a situation exacerbated by France’s skepticism on Turkey’s EU accession prospects. As of 2025, Turkey remains the only EU candidate country without visa liberalization, a point repeatedly raised by Turkish officials in recent EU talks. France’s reluctance to ease these restrictions is rooted in concerns over migration and security, as well as unease about Turkey’s increasingly independent foreign policy.
This standoff has fueled frustration among Turkish business leaders, students, and tourists, who see the visa regime as evidence of European bias. Social media campaigns and diplomatic protests have become more frequent, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan making visa reform a priority in discussions with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, in April 2025. The deadlock over mobility is emblematic of the broader trust deficit between the two countries.
Trade: Robust Ties, Regulatory Friction
Despite political tensions, economic interdependence remains a stabilizing force. The EU-Turkey Customs Union, in place since 1996, has driven significant trade growth. In 2023, bilateral trade between France and Turkey reached $20.77 billion, with France exporting cars, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace goods, while importing Turkish textiles and machinery. However, the Customs Union’s outdated framework – excluding digital services and new trade sectors – has led to disputes, with Turkey feeling left out of recent EU free trade deals.
Recent JETCO (Joint Economic and Trade Committee) meetings have focused on modernizing the Customs Union, but France’s insistence on reciprocity and regulatory alignment has slowed progress. Paris is wary of Ankara’s deepening economic ties with Russia and China, as highlighted by Reuters in April 2025. Nevertheless, French investment in Turkey remains strong, with over 1,600 French firms active in the country, underscoring the mutual benefits of economic engagement.
Religion: Laïcité and Turkish Influence
Religious issues have repeatedly flared, reflecting the clash between France’s strict secularism (laïcité) and Turkey’s promotion of Islamic identity abroad. The 2020 murder of French teacher Samuel Paty, followed by President Macron’s crackdown on “Islamist separatism,” triggered a diplomatic crisis, with President Erdogan questioning Macron’s mental health and calling for a boycott of French goods.
In 2025, France’s new anti-separatism laws reignited tensions, with Turkish officials and media accusing Paris of targeting Muslim communities. France, for its part, has become increasingly wary of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) and its outreach in French mosques, viewing it as a tool of geopolitical influence. Turkish diplomats counter that their efforts are aimed at countering radicalization and supporting the rights of diaspora communities. These disputes have deepened mistrust, with both sides accusing each other of interference and bias.
Geopolitical Maneuvers: Syria, the Med, and Beyond
Beyond Libya, the two countries have clashed over Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean. France’s support for Kurdish YPG forces, seen by Turkey as linked to the PKK, has been a particular flashpoint. Maritime disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially after Turkey’s 2019 maritime deal with Libya, have seen France side with Greece and Cyprus against Ankara’s expansive claims.
Yet, shared interests in countering Russian influence and managing refugee flows have occasionally brought the two sides together. In April 2025, a joint Franco-Turkish humanitarian initiative for Syria marked a rare moment of alignment, even as underlying disputes persisted.
Signs of Pragmatic Engagement
Despite the many sources of friction, 2024 and 2025 have seen tentative steps toward pragmatic cooperation. Turkey’s rapprochement with Egypt, a former Haftar ally, has opened new channels for dialogue in Libya. France, under pressure to play a more neutral mediating role, has softened its rhetoric and proposed joint initiatives at the 2025 NATO summit.
Economic ties continue to anchor the relationship, and both sides have shown willingness to compartmentalize disputes in favor of cooperation on trade, counterterrorism, and regional security. Religious tensions, while persistent, have seen quieter diplomacy, with Macron clarifying that France’s stance targets “Islamist separatism” rather than Islam itself.
The France-Turkey relationship since January 2024 is defined by a delicate balance of rivalry and necessity. Deep divisions over Libya, visa policy, trade, and religious affairs are offset by mutual economic interests, shared NATO commitments, and regional security challenges. As both countries grapple with shifting alliances and new threats, their relationship remains as strategic as it is strained—marked by cautious cooperation and unresolved tensions. The coming years will test whether pragmatic engagement can overcome entrenched mistrust and pave the way for a more stable partnership.