Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe criticized the “immigration” imposed by the Franco-Algerian agreement of 1968. This text confers advantages derogating from common law, placing Algerian nationals in a privileged position compared to nationals of other countries. . “No other State benefits from such exemptions from common law”underlined Mr. Philippe, who is already positioning himself for the presidential election of 2027.
Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe criticized a “immigration of fait accompli” imposed by the 1968 agreement, supposed to organize the entry, stay and employment of Algerians in France, according to rules derogating from common law. This text “completely determines the law applicable to the entry and stay of Algerian nationals, with stipulations which are much more favorable than common law. This is a very clear feature. No national of another State benefits from such advantages”declared Mr. Philippe, who would prepare for the 2027 presidential election. “Maintaining such a system today with a country with which we have complicated relations no longer seems justified to me”continues the centrist leader.
Human bombs
The French authorities had alerted the courts after the broadcast at the weekend of a video calling for violence against a notorious Algerian opponent. Three individuals were respectively placed in pre-trial detention and placed under judicial supervision before immediate appearance. In addition to these reports, the police were contacted “an investigation into the charge of public and direct provocation and no follow-up to commit a crime.” One of the men arrested, very present on social networks, committed attacks in France and violence in Algeria. He will be tried on February 24 by the Brest criminal court for “public apology for an act of terrorism”and faces seven years of imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 euros.
An outdated legal framework
It was thanks to this agreement that the three men settled in France. Before, the president of Horizons mentioned “a very strong acceleration in the increase in the number of foreigners” since the beginning of the 2000s. The 1968 agreement, signed in a post-colonial context, aimed to regulate migratory flows at a time when France still needed labor. However, more than fifty years after its signing, its maintenance seems out of step with contemporary realities, both from the point of view of economic needs and Franco-Algerian bilateral relations, currently marked by serious tensions.
From a legal point of view, this situation creates inequality between Algerian nationals and those of other non-European countries, which contradicts the principle of equality before the law enshrined in the French Constitution. In addition, this agreement is regularly singled out for its rigidity: it does not allow adaptations to changing needs or growing security issues.
The recent arrest of several Algerians involved in calls for violence and terrorist acts highlights the flaws in a poorly adapted migration system. These individuals, established in France thanks to the facilities of the 1968 agreement, illustrate how an obsolete legal framework can become a lever of exploitation for people with malicious intentions. The increase in cases linked to terrorist networks or acts of radicalization in populations benefiting from privileged migration arrangements underlines the urgency of reviewing this framework. A study published in 2022 by the Montaigne Institute revealed that 15% of foreigners involved in radicalization cases had benefited from easier access to French territory under bilateral agreements.
Maintaining the 1968 agreement also has notable economic implications. According to a report from the Court of Auditors dating from 2023, the specific measures linked to this agreement cost several hundred million euros each year to public finances, particularly in terms of social assistance, easier access to care and school integration. In certain French regions, local infrastructures are struggling to absorb the weight of these migratory flows, generating social tensions and feelings of abandonment among local populations.
If France wishes to preserve its imperatives of sovereignty and security, it is urgent to rethink the 1968 agreement. One solution could consist of a complete revision of the text, which would take into account current realities, according to former ambassador Xavier Driencourt: replace derogation clauses with provisions aligned with common law, guaranteeing equal treatment between all foreign nationals; establish annual quotas for the entry of foreign workers based on France’s specific economic needs; strengthen security controls for beneficiaries of the agreement, in order to prevent abuse and risks linked to radicalization; condition access to certain social benefits on integration criteria, such as mastery of the language and active participation in the local economy and, finally, keep an eye on the Algerian diplomatic missions in France.
