26.07.2025 18:14
During his visit to Anıtkabir, after laying a wreath at the mausoleum of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken knelt down to pay his respects and stated, "I expressed my deepest respect for Atatürk and his political project by kneeling."
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken visited Anıtkabir with his accompanying delegation. After laying a wreath at the tomb of the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Francken knelt down to pay his respects. Following this gesture, which has been viewed millions of times, the minister explained why he knelt down.
"I EXPRESSED MY DEEPEST RESPECT BY KNEELING"
Theo Francken stated the following in a statement made on his official social media account: "In Ankara, I paid my respects to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founding father of the modern Turkish nation. Atatürk strongly advocated for reforms and transformed Turkey into a democratic and secular republic. He granted full political rights to women long before many European countries, abolished the caliphate, removed religion from the steering wheel of society, and focused on education, development, and science. I expressed my deepest respect for this man and his political project by kneeling."
"ATATÜRK WAS A GREAT STATESMAN"
During his visit, Francken also signed the Anıtkabir Special Book, writing: "On behalf of the Kingdom of Belgium and its armed forces, I am honored to pay my respects to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, at this historic site. He was a great statesman who provided the Turkish people with secure borders, a modern secular constitution, and the rule of law. Thanks to this great achievement, Turkey has become a strong and prosperous country, serving as a pillar of regional stability, and has maintained this role to this day."