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France and Morocco mend ties after visa spat

France and Morocco announced on Friday they were mending fences after months of tensions over visas, and said President Emmanuel Macron would visit the North African kingdom in early 2023.

Published: 16 December 2022 16:51 CET

France and Morocco mend ties after visa spat

Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita shakes hands with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna in Rabat (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

Speaking in Rabat alongside her Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said it was time to “write a new page together”.

The two countries have been at loggerheads since September 2021, when Paris halved its visa quota for Moroccans in retaliation for the kingdom’s alleged refusal to repatriate citizens living as irregular migrants in France.

The move sparked widespread public anger in Morocco and was labeled as “unjustified” by Rabat.

But Colonna said the countries had returned to “full consular cooperation” since Monday.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin was expected to arrive in Morocco’s neighbour Algeria on Friday to discuss similar visa issues.

Macron and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI spoke by phone on Wednesday night after their countries’ dramatic World Cup semi final clash in Qatar which France won 2-0.

Asked about the spiky issue of the Western Sahara, the two ministers played down any tensions.

Morocco sees the desert region as part of its territory, but the Algerian-backed Polisario movement seeks an independent state.

King Mohammed reiterated in August that “the Sahara issue is the prism through which Morocco views its international environment”, demanding that governments “clarify” their position on the subject.

But Colonna said Friday that the kingdom could “count on France’s backing”.

Bourita added that Morocco had “never seen France’s position (on the Western Sahara) as negative”.

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French PM says new government names will be revealed 'before Sunday'

Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s office said on Thursday that he would “go to the Elysée to propose to the president a government that is ready to serve France”.

After a meeting earlier on Thursday afternoon with the heads of political parties, Barner then travelled to the Elysée Palace on Thursday evening to meet president Emmanuel Macron.

Their meeting lasted for just under an hour and at the end journalists saw Macron showing Barnier out saying Merci beaucoup, à demain (thanks very much, see you tomorrow).

After the meeting, Barnier’s office said he had had a “constructive exchange” with the president and that the full list of names of the new ministers will be made public “before Sunday, after the usual checks have been made”.

French media reported that the full list of 38 names, of which 16 will be full minsters, includes seven ministers from Macron’s centrist group, two from fellow centrists MoDem and three from Barnier’s own party, the right-wing Les Républicains.

Listen to John Lichfield discussing the challenges that Barnier faces in the latest episode of the Talking France podcast – download here or listen on the link below

Barnier’s statement said that “after two weeks of intensive consultations with the different political groups” he has found the architecture of his new government, adding that his priorities would be to;

Improve the standard of living for the French and the workings of public services, especially schools and healthcare
Guarantee security, control immigration and improve integration
Encourage businesses and agriculture and build upon the economic attractiveness of France
Get public finances under control and reduce debt

France has been in a state of limbo ever since parliamentary elections in July produced a deadlock with no group coming close to winning enough seats for a majority.

A caretaker government remained in place over the summer while president Emmanuel Macron declared an ‘Olympics truce’.

He finally appointed the right-wing former minister and ex-Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on September 5th.

Barnier has spent the last two weeks in intense negotiations in his attempt to form a government that won’t immediately be brought down through a motion of no-confidence in parliament.

Numerous left-wing politicians are reported to have refused to serve in his government while several high-profile Macronists have also ruled themselves out, including long-serving finance minister Bruno Le Maire who last week announced that he was quitting politics.

The reported make up of the new government does not reflect the election result – in which the leftist Nouveau Front Populaire coalition came first, followed by Macron’s centrists with the far-right Rassemblement National in third – but Barnier’s hope is that enough MPs will support it to avoid an immediate motion de censure (vote of no confidence).

The government’s first task will be to prepare the 2025 budget, which is already a week late. France’s soaring budget deficit and threat of a downgrade from ratings agencies mean that it will be a tricky task with Barnier, who has prepared the ground for tax hikes by warning that the situation is ‘very serious’.

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