French foreign policy: Morocco acclaimed, Algeria drops out

French public opinion has decided. As the presidential deadline approaches in France, the five-year Toluna-Harris Interactive barometer for the MGH Partners firm, carried out from May 5 to 11, 2026, delivers a clear verdict on the perception of Maghreb countries.

In a heavy international context, marked by a clear shift in security among those surveyed, Morocco has established itself as the number one African ally of the French, while Algeria is sinking into a deep image crisis, now considered a threat by a large part of the population.

Morocco, the exception of stability that seduces Paris

While nearly 7 out of 10 French people now display a generalized distrust of the outside world, the Kingdom is a notable exception. No less than 72% of French people judge positively the maintenance of privileged relations with Rabat, and 19% even qualify this link as “Très bonne chose”.

L’enquête titled “The French and French foreign policy”highlights an even more revealing fact: Morocco jumped 13 points in five years on the question of professional and strategic alliances. Today, 40% of respondents formally consider him an ally of France. This score places the Kingdom at the head of reliable partners alongside the United Kingdom, Ukraine or the Gulf countries, clearly ahead of the United States which collapses on this indicator.

This statistical honeymoon transcends divisions. Membership remains massive at all ages, attracting 64% of 18-24 year olds and rising to 77% among seniors aged 65 and over.

The pillars of structural trust

This plebiscite is not an emotional coincidence, it is based above all on concrete criteria. The French electorate welcomes the effectiveness of the military and police cooperation agreements with Rabat, seen as an essential bulwark against terrorism and the management of irregular migratory flows.

On the economic level, the presence of more than 800 French companies in the Kingdom confirms Morocco in its status as France’s leading commercial partner in Africa, a dynamic particularly visible in the automotive, aeronautics and renewable energy hubs.

Furthermore, in an unstable Sahel and Maghreb region, Rabat’s role as mediator in regional crises strongly reassures French observers. This supportive climate comes at a time when a state visit by King Mohammed VI to France is already scheduled to seal the re-establishment of the Paris-Rabat axis.

The great Algerian dropout

The contrast is striking with its eastern neighbor. The image of Algeria among French citizens appears to be particularly degraded. Barely half of those surveyed (51%) believe that France must maintain privileged relations with Algiers, a figure which hides a massive rejection since 45% of those questioned describe this relationship as “Mauvaise”even “very bad thing†.

The gap is definitely widening on the geopolitical reading grid. Only 17% of French people see Algeria as an ally. Conversely, 45% directly perceive it as a threat to the country. The survey thus places the Algerian power in the category of nations arousing distrust, alongside China or Israel, and just behind the major identified threats that remain Russia and Iran.

Reconfiguration of alliances in Africa

This Toluna-Harris Interactive survey highlights a broader phenomenon of wear and tear of French positions among its historic sub-Saharan partners. Public support for privileged relations is in sharp decline everywhere else on the continent, with Ivory Coast losing 8 points, Senegal dropping 9 points and Mali dropping to 50%.

In the midst of this global tightening, Morocco is consolidating its role as a pivotal partner, capable of building a relationship of equals, dictated by the convergence of long-term economic and geostrategic interests.