the essential
Several ministers have threatened Algeria with sanctions after an escalation of tensions in recent weeks. The Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Justice particularly mention a return to the agreements signed by Paris and Algiers in 1968 and 2013. Explanations.
In recent weeks, several controversies have contributed to further straining the already historically complicated ties between France and Algeria, reaching a real diplomatic crisis. Since the beginning of January, several Algerian influencers have been the subject of proceedings due to hateful comments made on social networks. The dismissal of one of these influencers by Algiers after his expulsion by Paris was experienced as a “humiliation”. So much so that several ministers have raised the possibility of sanctions, and even a possible return to the Franco-Algerian agreements of 1968 and 2013, regularly denounced by the far right and the right.
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“We must now evaluate all the means at our disposal vis-à-vis Algeria,” declared Bruno Retailleau, Minister of the Interior, on Friday. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs, mentioned possible “levers”, such as “visas” or even “development aid” which could be activated.
A diplomatic passport without a visa
On Sunday, Gérald Darmanin said he wanted to “remove” the 2013 agreement which allows Algerian dignitaries to travel to France without a visa and to circulate freely there. “Touching Algerian leaders with responsibilities for humiliation, as mentioned by the Minister of the Interior, seems more effective and can be done quickly,” added the Minister of Justice.
The agreement provides for “reciprocal exemption from short-stay visas for holders of a diplomatic or service passport” for professional or private travel. It also works in the opposite direction: French people with a diplomatic passport can travel to Algeria without a visa. The duration of stay is nevertheless limited to “90 days in any period of 180 days” in the Schengen area.
A special status
The first Franco-Algerian agreement was signed on December 27, 1968 after negotiations with the then Algerian foreign minister and future president of the country, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The bilateral agreement, which governs “the movement, stay and work of Algerians in France”, gives them a special status.
It facilitates the entry of Algerians into France, authorizes the exercise of a commercial activity or an independent profession and allows nationals of the country to access more quickly the issuance of a 10-year residence permit, summarizes the website of the Ministry of the Interior. Algerians can thus obtain a 10-year residence certificate after 3 years of stay, compared to 5 years under common law. The agreement also facilitates family reunification, a system allowing a foreign national to bring his family (spouse, minor children) after 12 months of presence on French soil.
Rights restricted since
Signed six years after Algeria's independence, it initially aimed to restrict free movement between Algeria and France permitted by the Evian peace agreements signed on March 18, 1962, recalls TV5 Monde. It was also intended to respond to the need for labor in France by facilitating the immigration of Algerian workers.
Since 1968, the agreement has been revised three times, in 1985, in 1994 and in 2001. Revisions which have restricted the rights granted. It is today more restrictive than the common law framework on certain points. For example, student visas granted to Algerians are more restricted and make it more difficult to obtain a job. Algerians also do not benefit from “talent passports” which allow them to obtain a multi-year residence permit for non-European foreigners wishing to work in France.
