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Rabat — Brewing tensions between France and Algeria continue as Algiers took an escalated decision to cut ties with the French Senate.
On Wednesday evening, the Algerian Council of the Nation at the Algerian Parliament decided to suspend its ties with the French Senate.
This comes days after France’s Senate President Gerard Larcher visited Morocco last week.
As a part of his visit he went to the southern provinces, including Laayoune.
During his trip, he recalled President Emmanuel Macron’s speech at the Moroccan Parliament in which he renewed France’s determination to continue supporting Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces.
The speech followed France’s historic decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara in July of last year.
Algeria’s regime took issue with France’s newfound position, recalling its ambassador to France and denouncing the decision as against international law.
Algeria has been also expressing frustration over the frequent visits by French officials and representatives to Morocco’s southern provinces, including the recent historic trip made by French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati to Morocco’s Laayoune and Dakhla.
The visit marked the first of its kind for a high-level official from the French government.
France announced on Tuesday measures restricting movement and access to French territory for a number of “Algerian dignitaries.”
The French government also vowed to take more strict measures if Algeria refuses to cooperate in the future.
Algeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement to denounce “a new provocation from France,” noting that it had not been informed of the measures taken by the European country.
The measures came after the French Interior Minister also slammed Algeria’s regime, blaming it for a new stabbing last week in Mulhouse.
“We need to establish a show of force,” he said, noting that Paris has been “kind enough” with Algiers.
