A surprise gesture by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sparked cautious optimism about the future of Azerbaijan–France relations. On May 27, Aliyev pardoned French national Théo Clerc, who had been convicted of hooliganism for spray-painting graffiti on a Baku metro train in March 2024. He had then received a three-year sentence after the court's decision.

The signs of rapprochement, however, came shortly after a reportedly warm meeting between Presidents Aliyev and Emmanuel Macron at the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania. While symbolic, the pardon raises a serious question:

Could this be the beginning of a real diplomatic reset between Baku and Paris? Or is it simply a tactical pause in a longer confrontation?

To better understand the depth of the current dynamic, Azernews spoke with two political analysts — one from Azerbaijan, and the other from the United Kingdom.

Tural Ismayilov, political scientist and Sector Director at the Center for Social Research in Baku, remained skeptical........

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