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French Heads of State have always supported their Maghreb counterparts when faced with internal problems. Once in Morocco, Emmanuel Macron has followed the tradition initiated several years ago by his predecessors.
Responding to a French journalist’s question about the protest movement in Al Hoceima, the newly elected president stated that King Mohammed VI is «concerned about the future of the region that he loves the most», praising the efforts made by the sovereign to «ease tention» in the Rif.
Macron «felt» that «the King believes that it is legitimate to have manifestations which are allowed by the constitution». He added that «the discussion (they) had does not give me a reason to fear some kind of repression, but rather a long-term response that would bring on the table the roots of what is happening».
Chirac gave Ben Ali a carte blanche and Hollande saluted the «great mastery» of Bouteflika
The French president’s declaration angered the NGOs which urged Macron in an open letter to intervene in favor of the Hirak movement in Al Hoceima. The message spoke of «a wave of repression, accompanied by mass arrest».
With the Maghreb States only, realpolitik has always ended up prevailing over human rights considerations. Macron was no exception to the rule. Long before him, in December 2003, Jacques Chirac said in a press conference during a visit to Tunisia that «the main pillar of human rights is to eat, to have access to healthcare, to receive an education and to have a house. From this point of view, it must be admitted that Tunisia is far ahead of many countries». A special version of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which at the time shocked NGOs and left-wing politicians.
12 years later, a left-wing president was asked an embarrassing question about the health of the Algerian president. Without hesitation, François Hollande had asserted that «President Bouteflika gave him an impression of great intellectual control. It is rare to meet a Head of State who has this clarity, this capacity of judgment».
Emmanuel Macron is expected not to say the opposite if the same question is asked on his next trip to Algiers.
