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Rabat – Malika Sorel, a member of the European Member of Parliament from the National Rally (RN) made an Ismaphobic jab at French Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who is on an ongoing visit to Morocco.
The French MP, who is of Algerian origin, posted a photo of Dati in her office, where a woman wearing the hijab appears in one of the photo frames the minister placed on a decorative surface in the background.
Converging reports suggest that the picture shows Dati’s mother.
“Behind her desk as a representative of French Culture, @datirachida placed, clearly visible, a photo of a woman wearing a veil,” she wrote, criticizing the minister in a condescending tone for displaying the picture.
The uncalled-for attack comes as Dati has struck a nerve among MEPs and pro-Polisario activists as she has repeatedly reaffirmed France’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
Dati reiterated her country’s support after her visit to southern provinces, including Laayoune, where she appeared wearing “melhfa” – a traditional outfit worn by Moroccan Sahrawi women.
The visit is the first of its kind by a French government official to the southern provinces in Morocco, reaffirming the country’s support for the Moroccan cause.
During her visit, Dati visited the Kasbah of Tarfaya and the Antoine de Saint Exupery Museum, as well as Laayoune, where they launched French Alliance
In Laayoune she also visited the Mohammed VI library, a major cultural landmark in Morocco, before later journeying further south to Dakhla.
Dati’s official Moroccan tour continues today, where she will engage in further bilateral discussions with Moroccan officials. The agenda will also include the signing of agreements in the fields of culture, arts, and cinema.
Sorel’s Islamophobic attack on Dati and her anti-Moroccan sentiment come amid an ongoing political rift between France and Algeria.
Beyond its hostile reaction to France’s newfound support for Morocco’s territorial integrity, Algeria’s regime also made claims against the French government, accusing its intelligence of undermining the country’s internal affairs.
Algeria’s regime also refused to accept a deported influencer from France, which deepened political tensions between Algiers and Paris.
Recently, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau accused Algeria of attempting to “humiliate France” after Algiers’ decision to refuse entry to the expelled influencer.
“We have reached an extremely concerning threshold with Algeria,” Retailleau said, adding that “France cannot tolerate this situation. While maintaining our composure, we must now evaluate all means at our disposal regarding Algeria.”
