Paris announces the expulsion of twelve Algerian diplomatic agents and recalls its ambassador for consultations

The Franco-Algerian relationship is again sucked in in the spiral of an antagonism without brake. Paris decided, Tuesday, April 15, to expel twelve Algerian diplomatic agents in response to an equivalent measure announced two days earlier by Algiers against twelve employees of the French Embassy and which has become effective at the expiration of a period of forty-eight hours. “The Algerian authorities take responsibility for a brutal degradation of our bilateral relations”commented a press release from the Elysée which specifies that Emmanuel Macron also made the decision to “Recall for consultations the French ambassador to Algiers, Mr. Stéphane Romatet”.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau tried on Tuesday on CNews, “Really unacceptable that France is a playground for Algerian services”. He also considered that the Elysée’s response to expel twelve agents «Fried[ssait] totally appropriate ”. On TF1, the chief of French diplomacy, Jean-Noël Barrot, assured that, despite the “Disputes”France was going “Continue [rappeler] Algerian authorities in their obligations; The obligation to respect the agreements which govern our relationship in matters of migration cooperation, but also in matters of security cooperation ”.

This new shock in the bilateral relationship puts an end to an lull who only lasted a short week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, having paid a visit to“Sallery” in Algiers on April 6. Such a hunt for evictions on this scale has been unprecedented since the independence of Algeria in 1962.

In French diplomatic annals, it is necessary to refer to torments between Paris and Moscow – especially in May 2022 in the wake of the Russian invasion in Ukraine – to find higher expulsion levels. The current escalation between France and Algeria, however, does not strictly speaking a spy scandal, in any case not in the official justifications advanced in the capitals.

Algiers’ decision is presented as a “Farm response” on “The basis of reciprocity” At the arrest, on April 8, of an agent of the Algerian consulate of Créteil. Following his police custody, the latter was indicted and placed in pre -trial detention on April 12, as part of the investigation into the kidnapping and sequestration of Amir Boukhors, an influencer of the Algerian opposition in France.

“If Algeria chooses climbing, we will respond with the greatest firmness”had warned on Tuesday on France 2, Jean-Noël Barrot, announcing that France will not have “Other choice than to take similar measures”. A few hours later, while Algeria maintained its decision at the expiration of the deadline, the PAS was taken: it is now the Paris turn to ask 12 Algerian diplomatic agents to leave French territory.

Bruno Targeted Retaille

Annihilating in passing the fragiles acquired from the appeasement allowed by the visit of Mr. Barrot to Algiers, who had lowered the pressure after eight months of crisis – triggered in the summer of 2024 by the gesture of Emmanuel Macron recognizing the “Moroccan sovereignty” On Western Sahara – this revival of tension takes place under the sign of the paradox. Because the Algerian regime triggers this new test of strength by claiming to target only Bruno Retailleau, presented as the conductor of a campaign hostile to Algeria, a hollow way of sparing MM. Macron and Barrot, the two craftsmen of the ephemeral relaxation on the French side.

It is not trivial that the twelve French diplomatic agents expelled all of the Place Beauvau. “The signal is transparent, Retailleau is targeted”, comments on a French diplomatic source. Cited Monday by the official agency Algeria Press Service, the press release from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming the “Sovereign decision” to expel French agents attacks Mr. Retailleau exclusively, described as “Minister who excels in the barbouzeries”. The press release brought the responsibility for the arrest of the Algerian agent « [traité] in a shameful and unworthy way, like a thief ”. « Bruno Retailleau has nothing to do with this judicial affair ” had specified Mr. Barrot on France 2.

The Tactic of Algiers aimed at singularizing the Ministry of the Interior, however, has little chance of going to Paris, where the expulsion of French agents is perceived as a questioning of the French State, as illustrated by the announcement of the replica by the voice of Mr. Macron himself.