After their most serious crisis in sixty years, will France and Morocco get closer? Monday February 19, Brigitte Macron received the three sisters of King Mohammed VI at the Elysée. The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, announced that relations with Rabat would be “a priority”. Historian and professor at Paris-1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Pierre Vermeren has just published in paperback Morocco in 100 questions. A kingdom of paradoxes (Tallandier). He analyzes this thaw in the post-October 7 context, but also deciphers the embarrassment of France, which refuses to choose between its enemy neighbors Morocco and Algeria, while the first has made recognition of the Moroccan nature of Western Sahara is the key to all its diplomacy.
L’Express: Are we witnessing a real thaw in relations between France and Morocco?
Pierre Vermeren: The crisis between the two countries peaked in September 2023, which was the worst month between France and Morocco since the Ben Barka affair in 1965. In the press, there were attacks against the heads of state respective countries. On the Moroccan side, it went very far against Emmanuel Macron. But, since October 7, the context has changed.
On the one hand, Morocco has lost its certainties about Israel. Following the deterioration of Franco-Moroccan relations, the kingdom wanted to turn the page and follow in the footsteps of the United States and Israel. Obviously, due to the Israeli response on Gaza, it has become more complicated today for Rabat. Especially since the United States has never paid much attention to the Maghreb. Ultimately, Morocco said to itself that the relationship with France was perhaps not that replaceable. On the other hand, France has been ejected from several countries in the Sahel, even as Morocco is reinvesting in this region. The Quai d’Orsay and the Elysée take this into account. Furthermore, apart from the commission of historians, there is no development on Franco-Algerian relations. Today, Morocco is therefore putting pressure on France to ease its relations with Algeria.
To summarize, we can say that we went from a very degraded relationship to efforts. Morocco appointed an ambassador to France in October, Emmanuel Macron tasked Stéphane Séjourné – initially very poorly viewed in Morocco – with restoring this historic relationship. Both countries realize that they cannot do without each other. The communications offensive is being executed to the millimeter by Rabat.
You recall in your book that Rabat represents the fourth French embassy in the world after those in London, Washington and Berlin…
Since the Algerian War, Morocco has been France’s No. 1 partner in Africa. It serves both as a bridgehead with the Arab world and with sub-Saharan Africa. Morocco thus has a very particular role. Especially since it has always been the only Arab-Berber country to maintain relations with Israel, being allied to the West during the Cold War, unlike Algeria, which was in the other camp. Since Pompidou and Giscard, France has relied a lot on Morocco.
You emphasize that the colonial past does not haunt the relations that France maintains with Morocco. Which is far from being the case with Algeria…
Over the years, Algerians have, in their relations with France, focused on the question of memory. This took precedence over everything else except the subject of visas. But, in Morocco, colonization was three times shorter, there was no decolonization war and the protectorate treaty was signed between the Moroccan state – admittedly very weakened – and France. Lyautey’s policy has always consisted of consolidating the Moroccan dynasty. This is why our relations with the palace have long been very good.
“Rabat now considers that France should go further”
Who are the main culprits for the deterioration of relations between the two countries in recent years?
This clearly deteriorated under François Hollande, for political reasons. Presidents Hollande then Macron wanted to reconcile with Algeria… considered enemy number 1 by Rabat. Relations between these two neighboring states are catastrophic. The borders have been closed for thirty years and, for two years, Morocco and Algeria have no longer even maintained diplomatic relations. There are regular shootings at the border.
Then, in 2014, a French judge summoned the head of the Moroccan Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance to Paris for a crime of torture. However, he is one of the most powerful men in Morocco, whose role has grown even more since then. Even though he has since been honored with the Legion of Honor, this has created deep mistrust on the part of Morocco. To which were added accusations of Morocco from the European Parliament, with accusations of corruption in the context of Qatargate, then a resolution condemning the deterioration of human rights in the kingdom. Finally, Morocco was accused by France of having wiretapped thousands of French leaders, including Emmanuel Macron, thanks to the Israeli Pegasus spy system. This gave rise to an argument between the French president and the king of Morocco which did not leave good memories. While he resides regularly and for a long time in France, Mohammed VI no longer wanted to deal with the Elysée.
To what extent is recognition of the Moroccan character of the so-called “Western” Sahara at the heart of Moroccan diplomacy?
It is the alpha and omega of Moroccan diplomacy. And this is the major issue behind this rapprochement with France. The latter remains in its position of 2007, when it proposed a plan for broad internal autonomy in the Sahara, which then seemed very favorable to Morocco. In his time, Jacques Chirac even mentioned “the southern provinces of Morocco”. For a long time, Morocco was satisfied with this French position. But today, things have evolved, after the agreement with the United States, Israel and certain Gulf monarchies which broke the old status quo on the subject. Rabat now considers that France should go further, and do like Spain or the United Kingdom, which have not formally recognized the Moroccan nature of the Sahara, but are calling for progress on the issue. But France remains legalistic and sticks to the positions of the UN, which considers this decolonized territory as occupied and awaiting official attribution. Only President Macron will be able to decide on this question. But that is really the objective of the Moroccan side. However, for France, moving forward on the Sahara issue means further increasing tensions with Algeria.
Does France have an interest in favoring Morocco rather than Algeria?
Today we are angry with both countries. France tries to maintain a position based on international law regarding the Sahara. There is no other solution to this conflict than an intelligent compromise between Morocco and Algeria. And no one can do that for them. France is not intended to take blows for this.
But then it comes down to political choices. The relationship with Algeria is very difficult, but, for internal reasons in particular, France cannot quarrel with Algiers. She is therefore in a very complicated situation. Paris has always supported Morocco on the Sahara issue, but does not want to cross the Rubicon, because there are millions of citizens of Algerian origin who reside in the territory. For France, it is as much a question of geopolitics and international law as an internal and security question, which prohibits making real choices. But this really falls within the purview of the President of the Republic.
“Alone, Morocco and Algeria clearly cannot reconcile”
Will Emmanuel Macron evolve on the subject?
He is very bored. Algeria is supported by Russia and China; Morocco, by the United States, the United Kingdom or Spain. We are in a complex position, and Europe varies. Emmanuel Macron cannot deliberately choose Morocco over Algeria. I am therefore campaigning for an international negotiation with a limited number of countries. If Morocco and Algeria really agree to negotiate on the subject of the Sahara, everyone must be able to come out of it with their heads held high. But for this to happen, several great powers would have to come to the negotiating table and offer them a win-win game. Today, we are far from it. Between Morocco and Algeria, it has become a question of honor, of principle. Alone, they clearly cannot reconcile.
Would the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House have consequences for Morocco, even though he was the architect of the rapprochement with Israel?
Trump has been a big asset for Morocco. But the United States’ interest in the Maghreb remains marginal. During the Cold War, control of Gibraltar was important to them. But, from now on, the strategic and economic stakes are low for the United States. Given the mass of problems that the next American president will have to face, Morocco is not a priority. Furthermore, the United States does not want to permanently quarrel with Algeria. The advantage of the Americans is that they can decide what they want, everyone remains friends with them because of their power. This is not the case for France…
“Morocco is not a democracy but it aspires to become one”, you write…
In the democracy index published by The Economist, Morocco only occupies 93rd place in the world. It is therefore poorly classified in this area, yet in Morocco, we never stop talking about democracy. The Moroccans continue to say that it is a goal, and that they will achieve it. It is a paradox, because, without even talking about the monarchy, Parliament, the parties and the press are today far from functioning democratically. But there is the desire to move in this direction, and this will inevitably have an influence in the long term.
* Morocco in 100 questions. A kingdom of paradoxes, by Pierre Vermeren. Tallandier, 374 p., €11.
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