Morocco, trigger of a major diplomatic crisis

This cooling of relations follows France’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, a decision which aroused the anger of Algiers, historic support of the Polisario Front separatists. The imprisonment of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in Algeria and the arrest in France of several Algerian or binational influencers for “making hateful or violent public remarks” have aggravated the situation.

Read: Big slap in the face for the Polisario

“The relationship between France and Algeria is not a bilateral relationship like the others, it is a relationship of deep intimacy,” recalled Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs, before the National Assembly. “But for cooperation, it takes two. And the reasons which led the Algerian authorities to adopt a posture of hostility have nothing to do with Algeria nor with its interests. France is a sovereign country that chooses the terms of its alliances with other countries. And what France intends to build with Morocco does not take away from what France intends to build with Algeria,” he added, specifying that he was ready to go to Algeria to discuss this crisis. .

Despite maintaining diplomatic channels, French officials describe a relationship close to breakdown. According to them, Algiers is implementing a policy aimed at erasing the French economic presence in Algeria and trade has fallen by almost a third since the summer. According to diplomatic sources cited by ReutersAlgeria has undertaken in recent months a concerted effort to toughen the economic environment for French companies in Algeria, particularly for wheat exporters, ignored in calls for tenders.

The standoff also concerns the political and cultural sphere. On January 6, Emmanuel Macron considered that Algeria was entering “a history that dishonors it” by detaining “in a completely arbitrary manner” the writer Boualem Sansal, whose state of health has deteriorated in recent weeks. Last Thursday, the return to France by Algiers of an influencer that Paris wanted to expel was widely commented on by the political class, with Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau believing that Algeria was seeking to “humiliate” its former colonial power. “It is a violation of the texts which govern our relationship and it is a precedent which we consider to be serious,” said Jean-Noël Barrot.

In a press release published on Saturday, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied seeking escalation with France and accused a “revanchist and hateful” French extreme right as well as its certified heralds within the French government” of leading a disinformation campaign against it. regard. In a press release, La France insoumise (LFI) for its part accused Bruno Retailleau of “maintaining the escalation and trying to force confrontation”, recalling that millions of French people “live a direct relationship of affection and fraternity respectful with the Algerian people.