World News: Macron Aligns with Morocco, Angers Algerian Republic

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Category: World News - Europe

Published on Thursday, 01 August 2024 09:26

Written by Janet Walker

French President Emmanuel Macron settled the Western Sahara issue this week, by giving discharge to the Kingdom of Morocco which irritated the Algerian Republic and enforced, to all, his decision-making power in foreign affairs relations.

A few days before the summer break and after a turbulent start to the summer that saw the installation of a National Assembly with a heterogeneous composition and without a real majority, President Macron informed King Mohammed VI of France's decision to give discharge to the Moroccan kingdom in the Western Sahara issue.

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As a reminder, this North African territory, a former Spanish colony until 1976, is claimed by Morocco for its fishing and mining wealth (the territory is rich in phosphate) as well as by Algeria via the Polisario Front supported by Algiers which calls for the autonomy of the territory.

Questions and Reprieve

By agreeing with the Moroccan kingdom, President Macron initially angered the Algerian Republic to the point that it recalled its ambassador to Paris for consultation and assessment of the conduct to be taken in the coming weeks towards France, while relations between the two countries were already at an all-time low in a diplomatic context that was potentially expected to ease with the visit in September of the Algerian President Tebboune in France, a visit for the time being full of questions.

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But beyond the diplomatic question, this recognition of Morocco's policy towards Western Sahara by Emmanuel Macron is also a blow to his political position within France itself. In concrete terms, with this diplomatic decision, Emmanuel Macron is recalling through his actions that in terms of international relations and diplomacy, the President of the Republic remains, concerning the texts of the Constitution, the only one authorized to guide France's foreign policy.

The tenant of the Elysée Palace, quite alone and accompanied by a government on borrowed time, has applied Tocqueville's analysis that a country's foreign policy is always conditioned by its domestic policy.

Impression of Isolation

Losing momentum and even legitimacy, Emmanuel Macron has therefore sought to regain control in the political debate while reaffirming his presence and authority, even if the latter is challenged. Moreover, the reactions, more or less moderate, of the different parties were heard, reinforcing at the same time the impression of isolation of the President.

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More simply, this discharge given to the Moroccan state will certainly alter Franco-Algerian relations, but temporarily. But this agreement is above all a way for Emmanuel Macron, and incidentally France, to give France some visibility on the international scene, here limited to the Mediterranean basin, while France, is invisible in the Palestinian issue and with limited influence in the Ukrainian issue due to European action, is struggling to make itself heard. A fine tactician, Emmanuel Macron has been able to use the texts of the institutions to enhance his function and to put France back on the international chessboard.

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Bio: Olivier Longhi has extensive experience in European history. A seasoned journalist with fifteen years of experience, he is currently a professor of history and geography in the Toulouse region of France. He has held a variety of publishing positions, including Head of Agency and Chief of Publishing. A journalist and recognized blogger, editor, and editorial project manager, he has trained and managed editorial teams, worked as a journalist for various local radio stations, was a press and publishing consultant, and was a communications consultant.