Rachid Maboudi
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11:16 – January 12, 2025
In a column published in Le Figaroformer Prime Minister Gabriel Attal pleads for a profound review of the Franco-Algerian relationship, marked according to him by a series of repeated provocations. He calls in particular for the repeal of the bilateral agreement of 1968 which governs migration relations between the two countries, judging that it now constitutes an obstacle to a firm response from France to the actions of Algiers.
“A call to hatred and terrorism”
Gabriel Attal points out the role of certain Algerian influencers, whom he accuses of encouraging violence against France. “Anti-Semitic remarks, calls for murder, apology for terrorism: this is how these preachers of hatred express themselves towards our country”he condemns firmly. “These shocking and serious abuses call for an uncompromising response.”
A series of unbearable provocations
Beyond these incendiary speeches, Mr. Attal also condemns the actions which he describes as deliberate provocations on the part of the Algerian authorities. He notably mentions the arrest in Algeria of the writer Boualem Sansal, known for his opposition to Islamist excesses. “Boualem Sansal, now imprisoned, is much more than a detained individual. By this gesture, it is France which is taken hostage”believes the former Prime Minister.
The recent expulsion by France of an Algerian influencer, followed by his immediate return to French soil by decision of Algiers, constitutes for him “the latest provocation to date”illustrating a growing contempt for Paris’ dialogue initiatives.
Rethinking the Franco-Algerian relationship
In this context, Gabriel Attal urges the French authorities to set clear limits and to assume a “balance of power”. According to him, the denunciation of the Franco-Algerian agreement of 1968 is a necessary act to rebalance an unbalanced relationship. “The Algerian regime systematically rejects our outstretched hands, preferring to use insults and provocations”he laments. This position comes at a time when relations between Paris and Algiers are experiencing a marked deterioration, against a backdrop of diplomatic tensions, arbitrary arrests and acts perceived as open challenges to French authority.
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