Rabat – France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said his country will resume expulsions of Algerian nationals in an irregular situation.
The French official made his remarks in an interview with CNews and Europe 1 radio on Thursday.
“When I went to Algeria in mid-February, we had not received a single travel pass since the start of the year and only a few deportations had been carried out,” he said.
He reported a total of 140 deportations since the beginning of the year, adding that France received 120 travel passes since he visited Algeria.
“Obviously, we need to do better, obviously we need to do more… but things have restarted,” he said, citing strained dialogue with Algeria.
The announcement came amid ongoing tensions between the two countries, as well as what the media described as a year-long freeze and suspension triggered by diplomatic rifts.
Earlier this week, French news outlet Le Monde said Emmanuel Macron is determined to secure a reconciliation with Algiers before the end of his second and final presidential term in 2027.
“The head of state wants to reconcile with Algeria before the end of his mandate,” LeMonde quoted Sabrina Sebaihi, chair of the France-South Korea friendship group in the National Assembly, as saying.
“She is not the only one to get this impression among those who interact with the president on the Algerian issue. Clearly, Macron does not want to leave the Élysée Palace having failed with Algiers. Such a setback would be too harsh, given the symbolic investment he has made in this issue,” the news outlet added.
Algeria and France have been experiencing tensions, especially after France’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
Algeria has also expelled French diplomats and expressed reluctance to accept nationals in an irregular situation in France.
On Wednesday, Le Monde published a report outlining the sharp criticism from the former interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, against Macron’s strategy toward Algeria.
In an interview with JDD, Retailleau accused Macron of “yielding to Algeria,” denouncing what he described as an “ideological dependency.”
The accusations followed Macron’s remarks about the “crazy people” who want to “fall out with Algeria.”
The former interior minister was targeted with the recent remarks.
“The issue is not me. It is our country,” the former interior minister said, accusing Macron of failing to make France “respected” or “protect the French.”
“Are we protecting them when we accept that dangerous individuals are not taken back? No, and the Mulhouse attack showed it,” Retailleau said.
