French MP blasts Macron for sacrificing ties with Morocco
French MP Michèle Tabarot once again raised the issue of the problematic bilateral relationship between France and Morocco.
At a Les Republicains (centre right-party in France) rally, Tabarot, 60, a member of France’s National Assembly, criticised the French President for the country’s strained relationship with Morocco saying, “I resent him for having sacrificed our relationship with Morocco in an attempt to cozy up to the Algerian government”, according to Qatari news website Middle East Eye, August 29.
The remarks made by the MP were greeted by nods and applause from the crowd as well as fellow-party member, Rachida Dati, mayor of Paris’ 7th district since 2008 and appointed to scandal-ridden Sarkozy’s government when he was President.
Dati and Les Republicains President Eric Ciotti are staunch defenders of a bileteral relationship between France and the North African country.
Morocco gained its independence from the French back in 1956.
Mr. Ciotti visited the Maghreb country in May of this year and stressed that if he became French President, he would recognise Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, taking a leaf out of Donald Trump’s book as his administration recognised the country’s sovereignty in 2020.
Those on the right and far right in France have criticised President Macron for favouring Algeria over Morocco. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on his country to refrain from building a relationship with Algeria.
Ciotti also discussed the issue of Algeria noting that: “We have made many concessions to Algeria, but I see few returns, we have received very aggressive messages that are hostile to the French on the Algerian side despite the friendly gestures from President Emmanuel Macron”.
READ: France claims it didn’t ask to enter Algerian air space
Macron was seeking to host Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune back in June 2023 however, the latter ditched Paris to go to St Petersburg. Tebboune met with Vladimir Putin and the pair discussed plans for a strengthening of ties between Algiers and Moscow.
In Macron’s latest gaffe, the French army claimed that it did not ask Algeria to use its airspace for a military operation in Niger despite the North African state saying that they did not give the French permission to use the facilities.
Following a coup in Niger in late July, France wanted to use the airspace to intervene on Nigerien soil, a move that Algeria was against as it opposes any form of military intervention in the former French colony.
MIDDLE EAST EYE
