Summary:

On 10 January 2025, French Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, accused Algeria of “trying to humiliate France” after Algeria refused to accept an Algerian influencer who was expelled from France after calling for violence in support of the current government in Algiers. 

French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, stated that France will retaliate if Algeria continues to escalate, including by reducing visa numbers. 

The Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, called for cancelling the 2013 agreement that allows Algerian holders of diplomatic passports to travel without a visa to France. 

Former Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, declared that France “must denounce the Franco-Algerian agreement of 1968”, which grants several immigration exemptions to Algerian citizens. 

Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf rejected the accusation of escalation stating that “the far right and its patented heralds within the French government are currently leading a campaign of disinformation, even mystification, against Algeria.” 

Algeria banned the deported influencer from its territory, stating that the decision was “motivated by the desire to allow him to respond to the accusations brought against him, to assert his rights, and to defend himself in a fair and equitable judicial process on French territory.” 

Outlook: 

The recent developments mark the apogee of the deterioration in French-Algerian relations that started when France officially supported Morocco’s plan in Western Sahara in July 2024, prompting Algeria to withdraw its ambassador. 

Furthermore, relations have cooled over Algeria’s denial of freedom to Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, in detention since November 2024 over allegations of attacking the integrity of national territory. Some view the arrests of Algerian influencers in France as retaliatory acts by French authorities. 

The recent statements from French officials are likely intended to threaten Algerian interests in order to deter Algeria from further escalation. However, it is yet to be seen if this approach will bear fruit and normalize relations. 

If tensions between the two states continue, a tit-for-tat exchange of hostile statements and measures is likely to impact Algerian migrants’ rights in France.  

France is likely to seek to gather European support to impose a tight control on migration flows coming from Algeria, but many European states will be reluctant to oppose Algeria strongly as they depend on Algerian gas and renewable energy.  

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