Source: Politics<\/p>\n
The newfound harmony between France and Morocco will be tested Thursday night when the two nations clash in the World Cup quarterfinals in Boston.<\/p>\n
Relations between Paris and Rabat have rarely been warmer, after President Emmanuel Macron recognized Morocco\u2019s disputed sovereignty plan<\/a> for Western Sahara in 2024. During a state visit to Rabat that year, Macron hailed a deep connection between the two countries \u201cthat stretches back to time immemorial.\u201d<\/p>\n But the propensity of French police to crack down on exuberant football fans, along with recurring violent incidents after big matches involving French teams, and the scorching summer weather baking France all add up to a potential tinderbox across the country.<\/p>\n Due to France\u2019s large Moroccan community \u2014 which numbers at least 1.7 million people, according to 2019 data \u2014 and the country\u2019s recent difficulties managing post-match celebrations, authorities have put some security precautions in place. The Paris police department has banned flares and fireworks on the night of the match, warning that \u201cnumerous incidents of violence occur regularly during the final stages of major soccer tournaments.\u201d<\/p>\n In May, 20,000 people took to the streets to celebrate Paris Saint-Germain\u2019s second straight UEFA Champions League title, leading to unrest and clashes between supporters and police. Far-right chief Jordan Bardella seized on the violence<\/a> to blame France\u2019s population of immigrant descent.<\/p>\n Asked whether Thursday night\u2019s game carried any particular security risk, Interior Minister Laurent Nu\u00f1ez replied \u201clike any match\u201d during an interview this week on French public television.<\/p>\n Nu\u00f1ez said police would be \u201cextremely vigilant during the celebrations\u201d regardless of the result but would not automatically move to disperse public gatherings. He added that the same approach had been used for France\u2019s previous matches, while noting that fixtures generally become higher risk as tournaments reach their final stages.<\/p>\n French outlet Le Parisien reported<\/a> Wednesday evening that in private authorities had compiled a document that noted: \u201cThis match presents an increased risk due to its knockout nature and the stakes of qualifying for the semi-finals.\u201d<\/p>\n France and Morocco have shared unusually close ties for decades, shaped by Morocco\u2019s status as a French protectorate from 1912 until its independence in 1956. France remains one of Morocco\u2019s largest trading partners, while security and intelligence cooperation has long been a cornerstone of the relationship \u2014 even if political disputes have periodically strained it.<\/p>\n In 2021, media investigations alleged that Moroccan authorities had used Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to target phones belonging to Macron and other French officials. Ties remained frosty after a devastating earthquake struck Morocco in 2023, when Rabat declined France\u2019s offer of aid.<\/p>\n Macron\u2019s Western Sahara gambit in 2024, which aligned France with Spain, the U.S. and dozens of other countries around the world, helped to quell the tensions between the two countries \u2014 an important matter for France, which seeks Morocco\u2019s cooperation on topics ranging from trade to migration. Western Sahara is mostly controlled by Morocco, but Rabat\u2019s sovereignty over the territory is not internationally recognized.<\/p>\n The connection between France and Morocco runs all the way to the pitch: France captain Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Morocco skipper Achraf Hakimi \u2014 former teammates at Paris Saint-Germain \u2014 are close friends<\/a> off the field.<\/p>\n Previous France-Morocco encounters, including in the 2022 World Cup semifinals, led to some arrests but no major public unrest. Morocco\u2019s big games in other competitions, like the African Cup of Nations, have also largely passed off without trouble in France.<\/p>\n A law enforcement official, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said any concerns were more likely to center on possible tensions between Morocco supporters and members of the French-Algerian community, given the diplomatic angst between the North African neighbors.<\/p>\n A center-left parliamentarian, who also spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity, said they would expect France\u2019s powerful far right \u2014 which is leading the race for the French presidency in 2027 \u2014 to try to score political points off any unrest that occurs, as they did after the Champions League final<\/a>. \u201cMorocco, Algeria or any other African country, I don\u2019t think they care about the distinctions,\u201d the lawmaker said.<\/p>\n But what is perhaps most striking about the Paris-Rabat reconciliation is that even the anti-immigrant far right is on board. The French-Moroccan friendship committee in parliament is chaired by H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Laporte, a senior member of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella\u2019s National Rally.<\/p>\n Laporte has said \u201cthe relationship between France and Morocco is strong and enduring,\u201d describing it as built on \u201cdeep human bonds and a sincere friendship.\u201d<\/p>\n