Amid rising diplomatic tensions between France and Algeria, French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has proposed revisiting a key agreement dating from 2013. This agreement currently allows those with an Algerian diplomatic passport to travel to France without requiring a visa, thus guaranteeing free movement.
In an intervention broadcast on LCI on January 12, Gérald Darmanin highlighted the need to “remove” this intergovernmental agreement. The minister specified that this arrangement facilitated the entry of “thousands” of holders of Algerian diplomatic passports into French territory without a visa.
Darmanin explained that this proposal was part of a strategy of retaliation against the positions considered humiliating by the Algerian authorities with regard to France, mentioned by the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau. The Minister of Justice considers this approach to be “smarter, more effective” for targeting Algerian decision-makers.
However, this measure would not concern “the 10% of our compatriots” who share cultural, blood or soil ties with Algeria, also including the pieds-noirs. This clarification was added by Darmanin, former Minister of the Interior.
This information concerning Gérald Darmanin’s statements was reported by the website of our colleagues at Sud Quotidien, citing sources from the newspaper Le Monde.
