France has endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, marking a departure from its long-standing stance and joining a growing number of countries siding with Morocco amid a stalled UN-mediated peace process.

In a letter to King Mohammed VI, French President Emmanuel Macron described Morocco's 2007 proposal, which offers limited autonomy for the region under Moroccan sovereignty, as the "only basis" for resolving the conflict.

This shift is a setback for the pro-independence Polisario Front, which has long claimed to represent the indigenous Saharawi people. Macron wrote in the letter, made public on Tuesday, "The present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty. France intends to act consistently with this position at both national and international levels."

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