Digital editor of Europe
AFPFrance recalled its ambassador to Algeria and ordered 12 Algerian diplomats to leave Paris as the diplomatic order escalated.
Algeria expelled 12 French officials this week after one of his consular officials was arrested for abducting a government critic living in Paris. The service of President Emanuel Macron called this move “unjustified and incomprehensible.”
However, the relationship has been on the slide for months. Observers have described the crisis as unprecedented, as Algeria secured independence from France in 1962.
There were hopes that tensions would be eased after French Foreign Minister had negotiated with Algeria President Abdelmajid Wibun in Algeria earlier this month.
The two countries have accused each other for what Paris called “a sudden deterioration in our bilateral relations.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Nol Baro said that “the Algerian authorities have chosen escalation.”
But Algeria's Minister Sophian Chabb said the latter “spitting” is reduced to the French Interior Minister Bruno Deptile when the relations were in the “warming phase”.
They were destroyed last year when Macron announced that France recognized the Moroccan sovereignty of the Western Sahara and supported a plan for a limited autonomy for the disputed territory.
Algeria supports the Pro-independent Polisario front in Western Sahara and is regarded as a major ally.
After that, French-Algir novelist Boulem Sansal was arrested at Algeria Airport in November and closed last month for five years.
Prosecutors said he had undermined national security for remarks that questioned Algeria.
Gabriel Bouys/AFPHowever, Deptile is increasingly confused when Algeria refused to accept about 60 Algerians, which his ministry classified as “dangerous” and wants to be removed.
A deadly knife attack in February in the eastern city of Mulhaus would not have happened, Detlele said, “If Algeria had complied with the law and its obligations.”
Macron tried to clear the air with Algeria's President at the end of last month in what they described as “long, honest and friendly exchange.”
Barrow followed this by visiting Algeria, saying that “France wants to turn the current voltage page.”
But high -profile contacts failed to put an end to the spiral of the main problems.
The last escalation came after an Algerian consular officer was arrested with two other people last Friday during the abduction of April 2024 of the Algerian influence of exile called Amir J.
A high -profile critic of the Algerian government with more than a million followers on social media, Amir J was eventually put into a forest.
Undoubtedly, Algeria said that the consular employee's arrest was aimed at “humiliating” Algeria and responding by ordering the expulsion of 12 French employees, which is said to be all under the supervision of the French Interior Ministry.
Sophian Chab, the Secretary of State of Algeria, told National TV on Tuesday that Retailleau has “full responsibility for this new situation”. He condemned the justification behind the arrest of the consular officer as Grotesco.
Retailleau said it was “unacceptable that France is a playground for Algerian intelligence”.
Paris replied late Tuesday with the expulsion of 12 Algerian officials and recalled its ambassador Stéphane Romatet for consultation.
In the meantime, Baro said the ambassador would return to Paris within 48 hours, but said his government would ultimately have to resume Algeria's dialogue.
“If we want results for the French, sooner or later we will have to have an outspoken, adjusted and challenging dialogue,” he said.