France boots dozen Algerian diplomats

(MENAFN) France has expelled 12 Algerian diplomats and recalled its ambassador, Stéphane Romatet, from Algiers, following a significant deterioration in bilateral relations, as announced by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Tuesday. The French presidency blamed the Algerian government for the worsening of ties, labeling it as a “brutal degradation” of their relationship.

Earlier in the week, Barrot had disclosed that Algeria had expelled 12 French embassy staff and given them 48 hours to leave the country. He condemned Algeria’s actions as "unjustified" and emphasized the need for balanced dialogue, noting that it should not be one-sided.

The Algerian Foreign Ministry responded by labeling the French diplomats as "undesirable persons," accusing the French Interior Ministry of defamation following the arrest of an Algerian consular official in France. The official was one of three Algerians detained in connection to the April 2024 kidnapping of Algerian influencer Amir Boukhors.

In retaliation, Algeria summoned French Ambassador Romatet to protest the consular official’s arrest, demanding his immediate release and denouncing France’s handling of the situation as “disgraceful.”

The ongoing tensions come despite recent attempts to repair relations, including a phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, as well as a visit by Barrot to Algeria. Macron also urged Tebboune to show “mercy” to jailed French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who was sentenced to prison for "attacking territorial integrity."

Past disputes, including France's support for Morocco's plan for Western Sahara, a visa issue involving the wife of Algeria's ambassador to Mali, and lingering colonial-era grievances, have contributed to the strained relationship.

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