France Backs Morocco's Plan for Western Sahara Autonomy, Ignites Controversy

France has shifted its stance to support Morocco's 2007 autonomy plan for Western Sahara, marking a significant policy change. This move, supported by a letter from President Emmanuel Macron to King Mohammed VI, is seen as a victory for Morocco and a setback for the pro-independence Polisario Front, intensifying regional tensions.

France has officially shifted its position to support Morocco's 2007 autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a move that breaks from its decades-old stance. President Emmanuel Macron announced this change in a letter to King Mohammed VI, describing the plan as the 'only basis' to resolve the ongoing conflict.

This decision delivers a blow to the Polisario Front, the pro-independence group claiming to represent the Saharawi people. Macron emphasized that the 'present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty,' committing France to advocate for this position both nationally and internationally.

The policy shift aligns France with other nations like the United States, Israel, and Spain and has already been rebuked by Algeria and the Polisario Front, who accuse France of supporting Moroccan expansionism. This age-old dispute continues to fuel tensions over migration, smuggling, and counterterrorism in North Africa.

(With inputs from agencies.)