Emmanuel Macron decided to expel “twelve agents serving in the Algerian consular and diplomatic network in France” and to recall for consultations the French ambassador to Algiers Stéphane Romatet in retaliation for similar expulsions announced by Algeria, the Elysée said on Tuesday.
“The Algerian authorities take responsibility for a sudden degradation of our bilateral relations,” said the French presidency in a statement, while calling Algiers to “show responsibility” to “regain dialogue”.
The twelve French officials expelled by Algeria are “on the way to France”, also said a French diplomatic source.
In its press release, the Elysée expresses its “dismay” after this new sudden cold stroke which comes a fortnight after an appeal between President Macron and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune, supposed to relaunch relations after months of crisis.
The Algerian authorities declared on Sunday persona non grata twelve French officials from the Ministry of the Interior, giving them 48 hours to leave Algeria, in response to the arrest in France, then to its detention, of an Algerian consular agent.
The expulsion of these French people “ignores the basic rules of our legal proceedings” and “is unjustified and incomprehensible,” said the French presidency.
“In this context, France will symmetrically proceed to the expulsion of twelve agents serving in the Algerian consular and diplomatic network in France” and “The President of the Republic decided to recall for consultations the French ambassador to Algiers, Stéphane Romatet”, she added.
“In this difficult context, France will defend its interests and will continue to demand from Algeria that it fully respect its obligations towards it, particularly with regard to our national security and cooperation in migration matters,” said the Elysée.
According to Paris, “the very interest of France and Algeria is to resume dialogue”.
On network X, the chief of French diplomacy Jean-Noël Barrot, who had personally gone to Algiers in early April, says that “the Algerian authorities chose climbing”. “We answer as announced,” he adds.
“The dialogue, still, but not one -way,” concludes the minister.
