Le Monde: Algeria Expels French Diplomats, Paris Threatens Retaliation… Bilateral Relations on a Knife’s Edge
ALDAR/
Relations between Algeria and France have entered a new phase of escalation, after Algeria announced on Monday, April 14, 2025, the expulsion of 12 staff members from the French embassy, giving them 48 hours to leave the country. The French newspaper Le Monde reported that this move came in response to France’s arrest of an Algerian diplomat, accused of being involved in the kidnapping of opposition activist Amir Boukhors, known as “Amir DZ,” on French soil at the end of April 2024.
According to Le Monde, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that Paris considered the expulsion “unrelated to the ongoing judicial procedures” and called on Algeria to immediately reverse the decision. He added, “If Algeria insists on expelling our personnel, we will have no choice but to respond immediately.”
Le Monde, citing a diplomatic source, noted that among those expelled were employees affiliated with the French Ministry of the Interior. This development coincided with a visit to Morocco by French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who is known for his hardline positions toward Algeria.
It is worth noting, according to Le Monde, that French authorities arrested an Algerian diplomat working at the consulate last Saturday, suspecting him of involvement in the kidnapping of the prominent dissident Amir Boukhors. The case has triggered a new crisis between the two countries. The diplomat and two others have been charged with terrorism-related offenses, according to the French anti-terrorism prosecutor.
Le Monde’s investigation indicates that this sudden tension came just days after optimistic statements from the French foreign minister about a “new phase” in relations with Algeria, following his meeting with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf. The Algerian and French presidencies had recently declared an end to a period of intense diplomatic disputes that, at one point, threatened a complete breakdown of relations.
However, it appears that the scandal surrounding the attempted abduction of an opposition figure residing in France has brought everything back to square one, plunging relations into a new crisis—one that may be more severe and complex than those that preceded it, according to Le Monde’s assessment.
