France-Morocco Relations at Risk of ’Major Break’ as Macron Courts Algeria

In an op-ed in the French magazine Valeurs Actuelles (VA), journalist Pierre d’Herbès, a defense specialist, argues that Paris’ clumsy way of "courting" Algiers to the point of "annoying" Rabat would be at the root of the malaise between Morocco and France. Despite France’s "outstretched hand", "the year 2023 has been anything but a honeymoon with Algeria," he notes, stressing that France’s excessive charm offensive towards Algeria risks causing it to lose "its influence in the Maghreb" and threaten the security of the region.

If France’s relationship with Algeria is "still fragile," its relationship with Morocco is on the brink of the abyss. "Yet a historic ally of Paris, the break is threatening," the magazine explains, recalling the statement by Emmanuel Macron who, at a press conference at the Élysée Palace, assured that relations with Morocco were good. "Relations are neither good nor friendly," the Moroccan authorities retorted.

France has changed its ambassador in Rabat, and Morocco has recalled its ambassador in Paris and left that post vacant since then.

This situation is "provoked by the multiple failed attempts at rapprochement between Paris and Algiers and by the repeated attacks against Morocco in the French press in the wake of the "Qatargate" affair in December 2022," the publication details, also noting the vote in January by the European Parliament of a resolution against violations of press freedom in Morocco. "Morocco denounces interference and holds France responsible. The support of Macron’s Renew group MEPs for the resolution did not go unnoticed in Rabat" which "also denounces double standards towards its Algerian neighbor," the magazine continues.

In light of these facts, the author of the op-ed believes that France and Morocco are on the brink of "a major, serious and unprecedented break," specifying that Paris’ ambiguity on the Sahara issue is one of the points of friction between the two countries. Such a break would worry Paris, as Morocco is a strategic partner of France in West Africa in the fight against Islamic terrorism, and especially in a context of "anti-French sentiment" in the region and strategic competition with China, the United States, Russia or the United Kingdom.