Macron pushes firmer stance amid Algeria showdown
Macron urges Paris to adopt tougher line in Algeria standoff
France’s President Emmanuel Macron has called for a stricter approach from Paris in an escalating confrontation with former North‑African colony Algeria. He stated that France’s position must “command respect” and highlighted the need for France to demonstrate the same respect to its partners, including Algeria.
Key demands from the French administration
- Suspension of the 2013 visa‑exemption agreement for official and diplomatic passports with Algiers.
- Immediate application of a 2024 immigration law that permits the refusal of short‑stay visas to holders of service and diplomatic passports and the restriction of long‑stay visas for all applicants.
- Coordination with EU partners in the Schengen space to prevent Algerian diplomats from traveling to France via a third country.
Cases that illustrate the rising tensions
Macron pointed to the imprisonment of French‑Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, sentenced to five years for “undermining national unity,” and French football journalist Christophe Gleizes, sentenced to seven years for “apology for terrorism.” Both men and their supporters claim they are innocent and victims of the current political climate.
Strategic backdrop of the dispute
Macron’s support for Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in July 2024 angered Algiers, where Algeria backs the pro‑independence Polisario Front. Added to this, the historical atrocities of the 1954‑1962 Algerian war of independence continue to strain relations, even after half a century.
Challenges for French authorities
Algerian consulates in France have halted cooperation with French government services regarding the return of Algerians deemed dangerous after Paris ordered them to leave. The French government fears it may have to release detainees currently held in detention centres, as indefinite imprisonment is not feasible.
