Algeria boots dozen French diplomats
(MENAFN) Algeria has ordered 12 French embassy officials to leave the country within 48 hours, escalating tensions between the two nations, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed on Monday. Barrot criticized the move and urged Algiers to reverse the decision, warning that France would be forced to respond if the expulsions proceed.
The diplomatic fallout stems from the recent arrest of an Algerian consular official in France, which Algeria claims was done without proper diplomatic notification. The official was one of three Algerians indicted in connection with the 2024 kidnapping of Algerian government critic Amir Boukhors, who was later released, according to his lawyer.
Algeria’s foreign ministry summoned the French ambassador, Stéphane Romatet, over the incident, demanding the detained official’s immediate release. The dispute comes despite recent efforts to repair ties, including a phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and Barrot’s recent visit to Algeria, during which both sides pledged to renew cooperation in security and trade.
Macron also asked Tebboune for leniency in the case of Boualem Sansal, a French-Algerian writer sentenced to five years for allegedly threatening Algeria’s territorial integrity.
The strained relationship has been compounded by previous diplomatic clashes. In March, Algeria accused France of provoking tensions after the wife of Algeria’s ambassador to Mali was denied entry at a Paris airport. Last year, Algeria recalled its ambassador to France in protest of Paris’ backing of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara—a stance Algiers opposes in support of Sahrawi independence.
Despite dialogue efforts, analysts like Andrey Maslov from Russia’s Higher School of Economics believe Algeria remains deeply skeptical of a political reconciliation with France, citing historical grievances and lingering distrust.
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