Pegasus affair once again complicates France’s rapprochement with Morocco

Rabat – 16 July 2026: New investigations by Franceinfo, conducted under the coordination of the journalist network Forbidden Stories, are said to substantiate allegations against Morocco in the Pegasus case. The focus is on alleged surveillance of French journalists and leading politicians. The publication comes at a diplomatically sensitive moment: Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is in Rabat on 15 and 16 July together with several government members for bilateral intergovernmental talks.

The Pegasus affair has concerned France since the revelations of the international Pegasus Project in July 2021. At that time, the telephone numbers of French media professionals, ministers and other public figures were found in data sets attributed to a Moroccan client of the Israeli company NSO Group. However, the inclusion of a telephone number in a selection is not yet technical proof of a successful infection. In individual cases, however, there was forensic evidence of device compromise.

According to the broadcaster, Franceinfo’s new findings are intended to provide additional evidence of the kingdom’s responsibility. Their publication increases political pressure, as the French judiciary continues to investigate the case. In 2022, proceedings were opened on suspicion of unlawful intrusion into digital systems and violations of privacy. At the beginning of 2026, French investigators questioned two former NSO Group executives in connection with the matter.

Morocco has rejected the allegations since 2021. The government in Rabat has repeatedly stated that it neither purchased Pegasus nor used it to infiltrate communication devices. NSO Group has also denied previous claims that French officials were monitored using its technology. There has so far been no judicial determination of Moroccan state responsibility. The new journalistic investigations do not replace such a ruling, but may be important for the ongoing investigative measures.

The case affects a sensitive area of Franco-Moroccan relations. After years of noticeable tensions, Paris and Rabat have been moving closer together again since 2024. One of the decisive factors was French support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara. The current high-level government talks are intended to underpin this political rapprochement with agreements in the areas of the economy, migration, security and culture.

This is precisely why the timing of the publication is significant. French diplomacy must balance the interest in close cooperation in security and economic matters with the protection of state communications, press freedom and judicial independence. If the new material is confirmed in court proceedings meeting evidentiary standards, Pegasus could once again become a test for the restored trust between Paris and Rabat.

For the French government, the matter also has institutional significance. The alleged inclusion in the selection of telephone numbers belonging to people from the circle around then Prime Minister Édouard Philippe and several ministers concerned not only private data, but potentially also the security of executive decision-making processes. This explains why the case is not considered closed despite diplomatic normalization.