Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy advised his successor President Emmanuel Macron not to try to “build an artificial friendship” with Algeria and cautioned France against worsening relations with Morocco during an interview with French daily “Le Figaro” on Wednesday.
Commenting on his new book, “Le Temps des combats” (Fayard), which will be released on August 22, Sarkozy remarked that having supported Macron in the last presidential election does not mean that he agrees with everything the current French president is doing.
“Let’s not try to build an artificial friendship with Algerian leaders who systematically use France as a scapegoat to mask their own failings and lack of legitimacy,” he said.
Emmanuel Macron’s strategy of seeking a reconciliation with Algeria was supposed to culminate in May with a state visit to France (never officially announced) by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. However, that visit didn’t happen and is not scheduled to happen, signifying persisting discord between the two countries.
“A state visit has conditions and must lead to results,” Sarkozy said. “This is not a tourist visit.”
The former French President also expressed concern about the impact of efforts to reconcile with Algiers on France’s relations with Morocco, which are also facing significant challenges.
“We are at risk of losing everything,” Sarkozy starkly asserted. “We won’t win Algeria’s trust, and we’re losing Morocco’s.”