Why are relations between Algeria and France so bad?
Relations between Algeria and its former coloniser, France, have rarely been straightforward.
After hitting a low point in July when France supported Algeria's regional rival Morocco over its claim to the disputed territory of the Western Sahara, relations appeared to be recovering.
But then the April arrest in France of an Algerian consular official along with two other men for alleged involvement in the kidnapping near Paris of Algerian government critic Amir Boukhors has triggered a new wave of tensions.
So why are diplomats now being expelled, and what does this mean for relations between Algeria and its former coloniser?
Let's break it down:
Boukhors, or Amir DZ, is an Algerian online influencer and critic of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune with more than 1 million subscribers on TikTok.
The French government gave Boukhors political asylum in 2023.
But as far as the Algerian government is concerned, he's a fraudster and a 'terrorist', who they've been seeking to extradite from France since 2016.
Algeria has tried to extradite Boukhors nine times. All attempts have been declined by France.Speaking to the newspaper Le Parisien in an interview published on April 9, Boukhors said that on returning to his home in Val-de-Marne near Paris during the evening of April 29, 2024, he was stopped by an unmarked car with flashing lights.
Four men in civilian clothes handcuffed him and threw him into the vehicle.
'They first told me that an Algerian official wanted to talk to me, that that was why they were taking me. Then they told me the plan had changed and that I was going to Amsterdam,' Boukhors told the newspaper.
Boukhors said he was then forced to swallow sleeping pills and was held in a 'container' for more than 27 hours before being released without explanation.
A subsequent investigation by France's counterespionage agency uncovered information leading to the arrest on April 11 of three men with a fourth still reportedly at large.
No information has been released about two of the men. However, the third was an Algerian consular employee, French officials said.
Algeria issued a statement the following day strongly denying its official's involvement and protesting the person's arrest 'in public … without notification through the diplomatic channels'.
The statement denounced what it charged was a 'far-fetched argument' based 'on the sole fact that the accused consular officer's mobile phone was allegedly located around the home' of Boukhors.
All three suspects were later charged with 'kidnapping or arbitrary detention … in connection with a terrorist undertaking'.
On April 14, Algeria announced that 12 French consular officials had 48 hours to leave the country.
The statement, read on public television, confirmed the expulsions had been ordered in response to France's arrest of the Algerian official.
According to the statement, the arrest had been intended to 'humiliate Algeria, with no consideration for the consular status of this agent, disregarding all diplomatic customs and practices'.
France responded in kind the following day, expelling 12 Algerian consular officials from its territory and recalling its ambassador from Algiers.
A statement from the office of French President Emmanuel Macron described the Algerian decision as 'incomprehensible and unjustified' and said Algiers should 'resume dialogue' and 'take responsibility for the degradation in bilateral relations'.France colonised Algeria for 132 years, killing Algerian civilians and creating a class structure in which European settlers and their descendants were on top.
The French refused to leave Algeria, considering it an integral part of France. It was only after a war of independence that France finally left in 1962. Algeria is still referred to as the 'country of a million martyrs' because of the number of people killed by France during the fight for independence.
But the dispute has not ended there. The issue of the Western Sahara is also causing tension, not just between France and Algeria but also across North Africa.
Western Sahara – a disputed territory in northwestern Africa – is at the centre of the poor relations between Algeria and Morocco. Rabat claims the territory as its own and occupies the majority of it while Algeria supports the pro-independence Polisario Front and has taken in tens of thousands of Sahrawi refugees.
France has largely backed Morocco – despite the United Nations not recognising Rabat's sovereignty over the Western Sahara. And last year, Macron said France's position was that it supported Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
At the time, Algeria voiced its 'deep disapproval' of France's 'unexpected, ill-timed and counterproductive' decision to endorse Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara and recalled its ambassador.
However, relations between the two were thought to be improving since then.
Speaking in early April after a series of talks intended to restore relations after the rift, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said: 'We are reactivating as of today all the mechanisms of cooperation in all sectors. We are going back to normal and to repeat the words of President Tebboune: 'The curtain is lifted.''
But the Boukhors case and the diplomatic expulsions that have followed it have made it clear that the curtain has fallen right back down.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
G7 Leaders Urged to Abandon Net Zero and Climate-Aligned Finance says Friends of Science
At the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Friends of Science Society urges world leaders to abandon Net Zero and climate-aligned finance goals, citing Vaclav Smil's new book on the impossibility of Net Zero. Retired energy economist, Robert Lyman, has issued several reports questioning Prime Minister Carney's energy superpower plans, which show that climate policies are strangling the Canadian economy. CALGARY, AB, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on the economic and security goals outlined in Prime Minister Mark Carney's G7 press release of June 07, 2025, Friends of Science Society urges world leaders to abandon Net Zero and climate-aligned finance goals. Renowned energy author Vaclav Smil's latest book "2050. Pourquoi un monde sans carbone est presque impossible" [translation: "2050. Why a carbon-free world is almost impossible."] makes the case that such goals are extremely unlikely. Smil's key points are summarized in French and English in this post on "Science, Climat et Energie." Professors Happer and Lindzen show, in this new report, that carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases are not driving global warming; expensive efforts to reduce these gases will lead to deindustrialization, poverty and famine worldwide. As noted in this CLINTEL report which cites Obama's former science advisor, the 2 degree Celsius (or 1.5 °C) Paris Agreement target was made up; it is not a product of science, thus compliance with the agreement will not provide "climate insurance" from extreme weather or wildfires; the objective is unaffordable and unnecessary. Friends of Science Society has issued an Open Letter to the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions in Canada, explaining that Net Zero targets are unattainable and why. The letter challenges the push for the Climate-Aligned Finance Act (CAFA) "…would put such organizations in the position of acting in a fraudulent manner, as no amount of financial effort can make Net Zero a reality; and society will need to use fossil fuels for decades to come." CAFA is also presently promoted by Catherine McKenna and her "Women Leading on Climate" group. Prime Minister Carney has raised Canadian expectations of Canada becoming an energy superpower overnight leading to a bold economic recovery, but the likelihood of these propositions are questioned by Robert Lyman in two new reports, titled: "Canada's Infrastructure Selection Criteria – Deciphering The Rhetoric," and "Energy Superpower Vs. Net-Zero? Don't Jump!" Robert Lyman, is a retired energy economist who for 27 years served in the Canadian government as an advisor and manager on energy, environment and transportation issues and has written extensively on these issues since that time. As discussed in Lyman's "Deciphering the Rhetoric," Premier Tim Houston of Nova Scotia, Canada has proposed "Wind West," a massive 66-Gigawatt offshore wind farm, which he claims could provide 27% of Canada's electrical generation needs. "Deciphering the Rhetoric" explains why this proposal is uneconomic and would have the potential to cause national blackouts. On April 28, 2025, Spain and Portugal both experienced national blackouts, primarily due to far too great a ratio of renewables on the grid, versus more stable frequency control which comes from conventional inertial, dispatchable power. Though the Pathways Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has been highlighted by both Prime Minister Carney and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson as a possible project of national importance, Robert Lyman's 2019 report "The Carbon Capture and Storage Trap – for Taxpayers" is a cautionary tale. Friends of Science Society's "Getting to Net Zero" in Canada shows the Canada Energy Regulator's proposals for applying CCUS to reach Net Zero are unrealistic: video explainer. Friends of Science Society expresses concerns that the push for Net Zero is simply a mirage to foist Article 6 carbon trading and so-called "Nature-based Climate Solutions" on corporations, and ultimately consumers, as outlined in this Western Standard report, "But, while many net-zero bankers see this as a gold mine, energy analyst Anas Alhajji calls carbon accounting the 'Mother of all Enrons.'" Canada's Curious Climate Connection with Europe is a Friends of Science video explainer that offers insights, pros and cons, into suggestions that Canada should join the EU. To achieve global security and prosperity, G7 attendees should abandon Net Zero, embrace conventional energy and reject Climate-Aligned Finance, says Friends of Science. AboutFriends of Science Society is an independent group of earth, atmospheric and solar scientists, engineers, and citizens that is celebrating its 23rd year of offering climate science insights. After a thorough review of a broad spectrum of literature on climate change, Friends of Science Society has concluded that the sun is the main driver of climate change, not carbon dioxide (CO2).Friends of Science SocietyPO Box 61172 RPO KensingtonCalgary AB T2N 4S6CanadaToll-free Telephone: 1-888-789-9597Web: contact(at)friendsofscience(dot)orgWeb: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Friends of Science Society
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
What happened to the Madleen Gaza boat activists detained by Israel?
On June 9, Israeli forces seized the Madleen ship in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea as it attempted to break the suffocating siege on Gaza. The 12 activists on board – who belong to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition – were abducted in international waters and taken to Israel. One day after their capture, four of them were swiftly deported after waiving their right to see an Israeli judge and signing a deportation order that claimed they had 'illegally' entered Israel. Well-known Swedish climate and human rights activist, Greta Thunberg, was among those deported. The other eight refused to sign and remained in detention. On Thursday, six of them were deported, including Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament. Another two French nationals remain in Israeli custody awaiting deportation on Friday, according to Adalah, a nonprofit legal association in Israel. This is everything you need to know about their treatment. On Tuesday, Israel deported Thunberg (Sweden), Sergio Toribio (Spain), Baptiste Andre (France) and Omar Faiad (France). Faiad is a reporter with Al Jazeera Mubasher. On Thursday, six more were deported, including Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament, Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkiye), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil) and Reva Viard (France), according to Adalah, cited by Turkish news agency Anadolu. French nationals Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi remain in detention and are expected to be released on Friday, according to Adalah. Mhamdi is a journalist for The Blast, a French left-wing outlet. In Givon prison in Ramla, a city between West Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Two of the activists, Hassan and Avila, were placed in solitary confinement, according to Adalah. Hassan was taken there after first writing 'Free Palestine' on the prison walls. Adalah later reported that Avila began a hunger and water strike to protest Israel's blockade of Gaza, which has led to widespread starvation. Hassan was later returned to Givon, said Adalah. After Thursday's release of Hassan and Avila, along with four others from the Madleen, Adalah released a statement saying that 'volunteers were subjected to mistreatment, punitive measures and aggressive treatment, and two volunteers were held for some period of time in solitary confinement'. According to Luigi Daniele, a legal scholar at the University of Molise, Italy, Israel has no right to intercept a boat in international waters or to deny aid to starving civilians in Gaza. On the contrary, Israel has an international legal obligation as an occupying power to facilitate aid into Gaza. He told a local Italian outlet that Israel, above all, has no legal right to use force or permanent aggression on occupied Palestinian territory, including against the activists who were sailing to Gaza on the Madleen. Adalah has also argued that the activists were not trying to enter Israel illegally, but were sailing to Gaza, which is occupied Palestinian land. Israeli courts dismissed the legal arguments made by Madleen activists are supposed to serve 72 hours in the Israeli prison before being deported back to their home countries, according to Israeli law. This indicates all activists should have been released at some point on June 12, yet it is unclear if the remaining detainees – Maurieras and Mhamdi – will face additional charges that could keep them longer in prison. Some have, while others have been curiously silent. France's foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said earlier this week that he expected the four French activists who were on board the Madleen to return to France on Thursday or Friday. As of Thursday, two remained in detention. Brazil had also demanded the release of Brazilian activist, Avila. When the activists were first abducted from international waters, Brazilian diplomats reportedly visited Givon prison to assist with legal proceedings. In addition, Turkiye called Israel a 'terrorist state' after the Madleen was intercepted. Germany and the Netherlands, however, did not issue public statements to demand the release of their nationals. The Madleen's captain, Mark van Reenes, deported on Thursday, is a Dutch national who filmed himself just before Israel seized the ship. In the video, he called on his country to urgently demand his release. UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, also posted on X that 'the silence of [European Union] institutions over the unlawful detention and punitive conditions imposed on EU citizens including [Hassan] speaks volumes to the deep roots of Israelism in European institutional culture'.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Liberals under fire for rushing bill through Parliament to speed up resource projects
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is coming under fire for seeking to rush through a major piece of legislation that grants cabinet sweeping powers to quickly approve major projects. Government House leader Steven MacKinnon put a motion on notice Thursday that would push Bill C-5 through the House of Commons by the end of next week — leaving just one day to hear from civil society groups, stakeholders and experts. Critics charge the move is anti-democratic. In a fiery exchange in question period, Bloc Québécois House Leader Christine Normandin accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of trying to "steamroll" a bill through the House that would greatly expand his own powers. "The prime minister has no right to impose C-5 under closure when the bill gives him exceptional powers unlike anything that we've seen before," she said in French. "Is that the prime minister's intention, to bypass Parliament and govern by decree like Donald Trump?' MacKinnon pushed back by saying "Canadians and Quebecers spoke loud and clear" in the last election for action to shore up the economy, in part due to the illegal trade war initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump. "We are acting in a democratic way," he said, noting the bill delivers on election promises laid out clearly in the Liberal platform. The bill includes controversial provisions that could allow cabinet to skirt existing processes and laws to fast-track approvals for projects the government deems to be in the national interest. The government aims to streamline disparate processes to limit approval timelines for big projects to a maximum of two years, boosting investor confidence. When asked about the timeline at a press conference Thursday, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson said the legislation needs to pass quickly to shore up an economy being undermined by Trump's tariffs. "We have a trade war that is affecting sector after sector after sector. Canadians' jobs are at risk. Canadians' livelihoods are at risk. And quite frankly, the prosperity of the country is at risk," Hodgson said. But NDP MP Leah Gazan said in the House of Commons foyer Thursday that the bill isn't going to build the economy out because it will trigger a series of court challenges. She called on the government to extend the time frame of the public study and do more to consult with Indigenous Peoples — something she said got shortchanged in the bill. "I'm calling on the prime minister to slow it down, to not rush a bill that has this much consequence through in five days," she said. Hodgson pointed to support for the bill from the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, which represents more than 100 First Nations seeking to have their own projects advanced, and said he is consulting privately with stakeholders. "I can tell you I've got multiple conversations going on with different rights holders and business leaders as part of my department's efforts to ensure that consultation is robust," he said. Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty said there will be a meeting between the Prime Minister's Office and First Nations leaders, citing the wildfires as one reason it has been delayed. "I also want to acknowledge that because there are many communities in a critical state of wildfire and evacuation, that time will be taken to have that dialog," she said. "I know that it is the intention of the Prime Minister's Office to sit down with First Nation's leadership directly and to have the economic discussion and hear from them." But Anna Johnston, staff lawyer at West Coast Environmental Law, said the drive to push the bill through quickly is "incredibly concerning" because the government has done "very little engagement" so far on such a major piece of legislation. "The biggest concern is that it's going to give cabinet the power to approve projects before they have any information about them beyond what the proponent has decided to give the government," she said. "There's a reason why we have decisions at the end of environmental assessments and regulatory processes. It's so that governments can make informed decisions about projects that have the potential to harm Canadians and to harm the environment." Stuart Trew, a senior researcher with the left-leaning think tank Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, said the bill is "destined to end up in court" and "really bump up against the government's commitments to reconciliation with First Nations." "It seems geared to let the government ram projects through, without adequate study, without all the usual considerations about the impacts on endangered species," he said. "We should raise our eyebrows any time a government claims a national emergency in order to rush through legislation with implications as significant as this does." The legislation also looks to break down internal trade barriers and make it easier for workers to take jobs in other provinces. MacKinnon rejected a call from the Bloc Québécois this week to split the landmark legislation in two. That would have allowed the House to speed through the less contentious internal trade provisions while putting the controversial major projects portion under the microscope. Carney has vowed repeatedly to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers by Canada Day, 19 days from now. The House has been sitting for just three weeks and is currently scheduled to rise next week on June 20. MacKinnon said in a scrum on Wednesday that he has not tried to get consensus from the other parties to have the House sit any later. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025. Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press
