French Defense Minister Says Disliking France ‘Has Become Domestic Politics in Algeria’

Doha – The list of French ministers mounting criticism against Algeria expanded Tuesday as Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu called for a complete reset of bilateral relations, denouncing what he termed “current excesses of the Algerian government.”

Speaking on France Inter radio, Lecornu expressed concerns about the deteriorating diplomatic situation between Paris and Algiers, stating that “not liking France has become a matter of domestic politics” in Algeria.

He said that this approach is causing delays in critical areas, particularly in counter-terrorism efforts across the Sahel region.

“We are at a standstill and we need to rebuild this relationship, without weakness, without naivety,” Lecornu declared, following similar statements from Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in recent days.

The diplomatic tensions escalated after France announced its support last summer for Morocco’s 2007 autonomy initiative for Western Sahara, aligning Paris with the growing international consensus on resolving the contrived decades-long regional dispute.

Algeria, which continues to fund and support the Polisario separatist movement in its bid to secure access to the Atlantic, denounced France’s position as “unexpected, inopportune and counterproductive,” reflecting Algiers’ ongoing investment in regional destabilization efforts through its backing of separatist forces.

Relations further deteriorated with the arrest of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in Algeria in mid-November on charges of threatening state security.

Lecornu expressed “compassion, empathy and support” for Sansal, while suggesting that the case “reveals something about the current excesses of the Algerian government.”

The situation has been compounded by Algeria’s response to France’s recent arrest of several Algerian social media influencers for allegedly promoting violence.

Last week, Foreign Minister Barrot indicated his willingness to travel to Algiers to address these issues, noting that “neither France nor Algeria have an interest in allowing lasting tension” to persist between them.

‘Turn the page’

Interior Minister Retailleau had earlier taken a hard line, calling for the termination of the 1968 Franco-Algerian immigration agreement, which provides special immigration status to Algerian nationals.

He characterized Algeria’s recent actions as showing “aggression” toward France and advocated for “strong measures” to establish what he called a “balance of power.”

However, in a new interview with L’Express published Tuesday, Retailleau struck a more conciliatory tone while maintaining his position on immigration policy.

“We must now normalize our diplomatic relationship with Algeria,” he stated, calling to “turn the page” even as he continued to describe the 1968 accord as “dated and unbalanced.”

“We must enter into an equal-to-equal relationship, without ulterior motives, devoid of this idea of perpetual drawing rights on memory to reproach France for past events,” Retailleau stated in the interview.

“We have proposed a guilt-ridden narrative, repentance, which has ended up affecting French pride. We must rebuild this French pride,” he added, calling for a “balanced view of the colonial period” while acknowledging both “dark pages” and “contributions and links that were created.”