Spyware Allegations Loom Over French Prime Minister’s Visit to Morocco
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is preparing to travel to Rabat on July 16 for a working visit intended to reinforce relations between Paris and Morocco across trade, defence and migration. The trip, however, has been overshadowed by a French media investigation alleging that Moroccan intelligence services used Israeli-made spyware to monitor senior figures in the French government, including the prime minister himself.
A sensitive diplomatic backdrop
The allegations come at a moment when France has been seeking to reset its relationship with Morocco after years of strain, particularly over migration policy and the contested status of the Western Sahara. Lecornu’s agenda is expected to include talks on economic partnerships, security cooperation in the Sahel region and efforts to manage irregular migration flows toward Europe. Diplomats in Paris had hoped the visit would mark a step toward normalisation, but the spyware report has introduced an unwelcome layer of tension.
What the investigation claims
According to reporting by FRANCE 24’s Shirli Sitbon, an investigation has revealed that several French ministers were targeted by spyware developed by an Israeli firm. The software is said to have been deployed against government figures in France, raising questions about how the tool was acquired and what information may have been collected. Reports of this kind echo a broader pattern in which commercial surveillance technology has been used against politicians, journalists and activists worldwide.
Implications for bilateral trust
France has in recent years taken a harder line on the export and use of cyber-surveillance tools, and allegations that a partner country deployed such software against French officials would, if confirmed, complicate cooperation in sensitive areas such as counter-terrorism and defence. Analysts note that even unverified claims can weigh on diplomatic encounters, forcing leaders to balance strategic interests against public demands for accountability.
A delicate balancing act for Paris
French officials have not publicly detailed any response to the latest allegations, and it remains unclear whether the issue will be raised during Lecornu’s meetings in Rabat. Morocco, for its part, has not been reported as having commented on the investigation. The visit will test whether the two governments can advance their shared agenda while the espionage claims continue to attract attention in French media and political circles.
Source: FRANCE 24 — read the original report.
