France's ever tighter ties with Morocco leave Algeria seeking other allies
French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Morocco is being closely watched in Algeria, where his support for Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara has been widely criticised.
Macron's trip – which saw France and Morocco sign deals worth an estimated €10 billion – has made clear which country is Paris's preferred partner in North Africa.
That risks riling Algeria, which cut its diplomatic relations with Morocco in 2021.
In July this year, the Algerian government recalled its ambassador from Paris after Macron publicly backed Morocco's claim to Western Sahara.
This week, the French president reiterated his support directly to King Mohammed VI on Moroccan soil.
Algerian journalist Adlene Meddi told RFI that the intervention was likely to worsen relations between Paris and Algiers.
"France is sacrificing its relations with Algeria in a fairly brutal and spectacular manner," he said, "and we are going to enter a new phase of crisis that will last much longer than other crises."
'Strategic interests'
The Algerian-backed Polisario Front has campaigned for decades for the independence of Western Sahara, which was occupied by Spain until 1975.
Morocco sought to lay claim to it the same year.
But Morocco has repeatedly rejected any vote in which independence is an option.
Read more on RFI English
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