Morocco did not appreciate Emmanuel Macron's February 27 speech, in which he said he had no problem with the kingdom. However, many tensions exist between the two countries.
Emmanuel Macron and King Mohammed VI have "friendly" personal relations, which "will remain so". Questioned on February 27 about the links between Morocco and France, President Macron surprisingly deviated from his personal relations with the Cherifian sovereign. Before launching an appeal to the kingdom: "Me, my will is to move forward with Morocco", indicated an Emmanuel Macron who, as he said for Algeria, accused “people” – without naming them – of wanting to “highlight adventures, scandals in the European Parliament, listening topics that have been revealed by the press”.
On the side of Morocco, the speech seemed to surprise. While Paris is still trying to put on a good face, observers know it will be difficult for France to pick up the pieces with Rabat. Proof of this is with the official trip promised by Emmanuel Macron, who was to take the French president to Morocco. This visit, announced last year, initially postponed. But finally, it seems inconceivable that the French president is going to Rabat, for now anyway.
There are many sticking points between Paris and Rabat. We know, geopolitically speaking, France's position on Western Sahara particularly annoys Morocco, which asked its partners to position themselves more frankly in favor of the Moroccan peace plan. Spain, usually neutral on the subject, has for example changed its tune to line up behind Rabat. In full discussions with Algeria, Paris will have a hard time doing the same.
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But Western Sahara is not the only subject that embarrasses Rabat. Indeed, a source close to the palace tells the magazine Jeune Afrique "other points of tension have been deliberately concealed, in particular the arbitrary restriction of visas, the media campaign and judicial harassment".
On the side of visa restrictions, Paris has reviewed its copy and canceled the quotas imposed in 2021 against Morocco, but also Tunisia and Algeria. But the kingdom really did not appreciate the blackmail exerted by Paris, which demanded stronger cooperation from Morocco in its policy of deporting foreigners to their country of origin.
But what has particularly affected Morocco is the campaign currently being played out in the media and in political circles, both French and European. After the Pegasus case, relations between Paris and Rabat had darkened. Emmanuel Macron seems to want to erase this case out of hand. But the kingdom believes that the French authorities have contributed to the campaign to smear Morocco, the culmination of which will have been the QatarGate, which gradually transformed into MarocGate. The kingdom is accused of having corrupted European parliamentarians. The Renew group, led by a close friend of Emmanuel Macron, then supported a law sanctioning Morocco.
What anger the kingdom, which sees itself badly welcoming the French president. Admittedly, Emmanuel Macron and Mohammed VI risk crossing paths during various events, such as during the One Forest Summit in Gabon. But the sovereign will not meet the French president.