“Thug!” When Emmanuel Macron violently attacked the King of Morocco

Currently visiting Morocco, the French president could reconcile with King Mohammed VI, with whom relations have been very strained in recent years.

This Monday, October 28, Emmanuel Macron landed in Morocco for a three-day state visit. He was welcomed with his wife in great pomp and was accompanied by several ministers, big bosses and personalities from the Franco-Moroccan cultural scene. King Mohammed VI held a the red carpet as he exits the plane. The French president is expected to sign contracts and investments worth up to “ten billion euros” during his visit, reports RFI, with in particular an agreement between the companies Alstom and Egis for the construction of the second section of the TGV line which will link Tangier to Marrakech.

This trip is very important to renew relations between the two men, who have been at odds for several years. Suspicions of wiretapping on Emmanuel Macron's phone are particularly at the heart of their strained ties. In 2021, a Moroccan state security service was, in fact, suspected of having chosen the president's number to potentially hack it as well as that of his Prime Minister at the time, Edouard Philippe, and fourteen other ministers. The investigation by journalists from the Forbidden Stories consortium had pointed to a possible use of the Pegasus software, known for being inaccessible and allowing the recovery of all the content available on a device (photos, contacts, messages, calls, etc.).

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Emmanuel Macron not tender with the Moroccan king

While it has not been proven that Emmanuel Macron was spied on, the Elysée regretted an “interest in doing so” since the leader's name was allegedly discovered on the list of numbers potentially to be monitored. In private, Emmanuel Macron is said to have reacted particularly badly: “The President was hurt at having been thus betrayed, furious with the Moroccans, saying: “They did it to me the wrong way, this king is a thug”, reported Liberation. He then contacted the king, who denied the facts. “No, I didn't “listen to you”, Mohammed VI reportedly replied curtly, according to the daily, which also relays Emmanuel Macron's anger at this lack of consideration:  "Listen, I have the proof, either you are lying or you do not know what is happening in your country", he is said to have said then, showing the little confidence he had in him at the time.

Another divisive issue between the two countries was the halving of the number of visas granted to Moroccans in 2021 and 2022 to encourage Rabat to take back its nationals in an irregular situation. Bruno Retailleau, Minister of the Interior, still wants to review the visa policy. The subject of immigration must therefore be addressed during this state visit, which had been planned since 2020 but has been constantly postponed. This arrival in Morocco could be the first step towards reconciliation, especially since King Mohammed VI has already accepted in return a state visit to France.