Paris has also accused several Algerian influencers and content creators of inciting unrest in France. [Getty]
Algeria accused France of issuing “retaliatory threats” against its national airline, Air Algérie, after the carrier refused to transport Algerian nationals Paris authorities had ordered to be deported.
On 18 March, Algeria’s state news agency issued a report detailing French authorities’ alleged “threats and intimidation attempts” against Air Algérie’s staff.
Earlier this month, hardline Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau declared he does not rule out sanctioning the Algerian airline—something that would be a first in the two states’ bilateral relations.
The dispute stems from the airline’s refusal to board deportees who lacked valid approved travel documents by the Algerian consulate, a move Algeria says is well within its rights under international aviation regulations.
Since January, Algerian authorities resisted France’s deportation requests, often refusing to admit individuals upon arrival and forcing their return to France on the same aircraft.
Algerian officials maintain that their country’s refusal to accept the deportees from France is related to concerns on due process. On 17 March, Algeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected a French list of 60 Algerians “with a dangerous profile” set for deportation. It said the list from France’s Interior Ministry bypassed traditional diplomatic channels for such expulsions and denied Algerians their right to trial.
The dispute occurs as France’s conservative-led government escalates efforts to revisit post-independence agreements with Algeria, including the 1968 Franco-Algerian Agreement, which grants Algerian nationals preferential immigration and work permit rights in France.
While some ministers, including hardline Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, pushed for its cancellation, President Emmanuel Macron has signalled that such a decision rests with him.
Macron’s control over domestic policy has weakened since his party lost its majority in the French parliament last year, but foreign affairs remain under his direct purview.
Relations between the two countries soured in recent months over a string of diplomatic disputes. France’s decision to back Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara—Algeria’s regional rival—has drawn ire in Algiers, as has the continued imprisonment of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal.
Paris also accused several Algerian influencers and content creators of inciting unrest in France.
On Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot attempted to ease tensions by emphasising the importance of Franco-Algerian ties.
Speaking at an iftar event at the Grand Mosque of Paris, he acknowledged the “problematic developments” but urged both sides to move forward with “respect, firmness, and clarity.”
“France is committed to its relationship with Algeria, with whom we are bound by complex but uniquely strong ties and shared interests,” said Barrot.
