Latest news with #Franco-Algerian
El Chorouk
3 days ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
European Union Distances Itself From Sansal's Support Committee
Noëlle Lenoir, president of the so-called International Committee in Support of Franco-Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal, expressed her dismay at the failure of the 'strategy of extreme restraint' adopted by the French authorities and the lack of European Union support to confront Algeria's strict handling of the Sansal case. This was the conclusion reached by the committee at a meeting of its members held on Thursday, July 17, in Paris. The committee acknowledged, according to a statement circulated to the press and largely published in French media, that its efforts over nearly eight months 'have not borne fruit.' This has prompted them to reconsider their working methods and seek out prominent figures with strong friendships with the Algerian authorities to soften their stance. In this regard, they mentioned the name of the revolutionary Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The meeting of Sansal's advocates came after hopes of a presidential pardon for the prisoner on the occasion of Independence Day, on July 5, had faded. The hopes of a humanitarian release, as they had subsequently promoted, also evaporated. The Algerian Press Agency settled the controversy once and for all, confirming that Sansal would not be released and that the decision of the Algerian judicial authorities would remain supreme, as President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had also stated on multiple occasions. In a desperate tone, Noëlle Lenoir spoke about the European Commission's position on the committee's efforts with her: 'They tell us they support us, but they do nothing.' This is the conclusion Lenoir reached after meeting with the working group of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and with Kaja Kallas. The French authorities were not spared criticism from the Sansal Support Committee, which attacked French President Emmanuel Macron's handling of the Sansal case. According to the committee's spokesperson, Arnaud Benedetti, 'The strategy of excessive restraint chosen by the Élysée Palace and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yielded results.' French government spokesperson Sophie Primas confirmed, after Paris confirmed that Sansal would not receive a presidential pardon, that the French authorities do not see verbal violence as a solution to the Sansal case, in a letter addressed to the Sansal Support Committee and all those who follow its approach. Commenting on the controversial statements of French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, the Élysée Palace and Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot have repeatedly affirmed that the diplomatic path remains Macron's preferred option, despite the failure of all previous attempts. This is a fact that the far right, both politically and in the media, is seeking to exploit to undermine Macron's strategy and return to the logic of escalation advocated by Bruno Retailleau, whose failure has also been confirmed. The presence of former French ambassador to Algeria, Xavier Driencourt, among the committee's members is a development that is likely to further complicate the work of Sansal's defenders, given his extremist positions on Algeria. The proposals he put forward to pressure for the release of the Franco-Algerian writer were inspired by the campaign he led against Algeria for nearly a year. These included calls to abolish the 1968 historical immigration agreement between the two countries, limit the number of visas granted to Algerians, and reduce the number of Algerian consulates on French soil. As for the retired diplomat, France has not yet had its say (…), because the French authorities, he said, have not initiated any escalatory measures, although Paris unilaterally suspended the 2007 and 2013 agreements on Algerian diplomatic passports, which required the Algerian side to respond within the framework of the principle of reciprocity.
El Chorouk
5 days ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
French Intelligence Leaks Document Targeting Algeria!
The decline in official French statements hostile to Algeria does not necessarily mean that Paris has a desire to de-escalate and restore bilateral relations, which have been on ice for about a year now. The proof is the leaking of an official document from a sovereign French body that attacks Algeria and accuses it of destabilizing France. This document was issued by the 'French Service for Vigilance and Protection against Foreign Digital Interference,' known by its acronym 'Viginum,' which represents the technical information branch of French intelligence. It was leaked to the satirical newspaper 'Le Canard Enchaîné' and includes accusations that Algeria is waging an electronic war against France with the aim of destabilizing it, according to the newspaper, which claimed to have seen it. In its issue published on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the newspaper spoke of another 'war,' not apparent, in addition to the escalating diplomatic crisis, taking place in the virtual world, based on the document leaked from the corridors of the French intelligence's cybercrime fighting services. This marks the latest escalation from the French side, after months of an undeclared truce, during which French politicians, led by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, refrained from delving into the current diplomatic and political crisis. The document issued by the 'French Service for Vigilance and Protection against Foreign Digital Interference' claims that an army of fake Algerian accounts is waging an anti-France campaign on social media platforms to manipulate public opinion and tarnish the reputation of the French government. It also claims that these accounts publish 'the exact same content at the exact same time or within minutes.' The document, which attempted to provide some details, based on what 'Le Canard Enchaîné' reported, speaks of the creation of 4652 online posts and 55 YouTube videos about an alleged conspiracy by the French Directorate-General for External Security against Algeria within just twenty days in December 2024, as well as targeting some French brands, such as the cheese brand 'La Vache qui rit,' the automotive giant 'Peugeot,' and the famous brand 'Lacoste' specializing in clothing. In a serious escalation that indicates that the warming of bilateral relations is not as close as some portray it, the French Service for Vigilance and Protection against Foreign Digital Interference accuses Algerian sovereign entities, which confirms that the French authorities are trying to hide behind media leaks in order to provoke Algeria, and then hide behind freedom of expression, as they market their justifications every time. The document leaked by 'Le Canard Enchaîné' comes at a time when the French authorities are experiencing a state of frustration due to the failure of all their maneuvers aimed at dissuading the Algerian authorities from some of their sovereign positions, especially regarding the continued imprisonment of the Franco-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, and the sports journalist, Christophe Galtier, a dilemma that has exhausted the Paris authorities and put them before difficult challenges in front of French public opinion. It is not unlikely that this incident will pass without a firm Algerian response, for which the appropriate time will be chosen, because the document was issued by a sovereign entity, and it reveals how a highly sensitive French institution views Algeria. Moreover, the existence of such a belief means that the victim party, if it can be said, will respond in its own way, and this indicates that there are signs of an impending escalation on the Algiers-Paris axis, which remains hostage to the repercussions of the ill-considered decision taken by French President Emmanuel Macron last summer, by engaging in support for the so-called autonomy plan in Western Sahara, which was presented by the Moroccan regime in 2007.
El Chorouk
11-07-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
French Government Once Again Leaning Towards Appeasement With Algeria
French authorities reiterated their position aimed at avoiding a verbal and political escalation against Algeria. This comes after Paris assessed that this strategy would be of no benefit and would further complicate the situation of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who is serving a five-year prison sentence. The decision was made by the French Minister Delegate for the Francophonie and International Partnerships, Thani Mohamed Soilihi, who noted that the French government prefers to act 'quietly' to secure its nationals abroad, most notably Boualem Sansal, believing that public denunciations only worsen their situation, declared the Minister Delegate in charge of international partnerships, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday night. 'There are those who agitate or denounce without achieving anything, which makes the situation worse. We act quietly, with only results as a guide,' added Thani Mohamed Soilihi. The official agency explained that the statement by the official in François Bayrou's government came at a time when some politicians are calling on the government to raise its voice, particularly about Algeria and Iran, which has also imprisoned two French citizens (a woman and a man) on charges of spying for the Zionist entity. In response to government questions in the Senate, in the absence of French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who was in London on an official visit with Emmanuel Macron, the French minister confirmed that 'the entire French diplomatic corps is working to secure the release of detained French nationals' abroad. After an unannounced truce by the French side, which began weeks before the appeal hearing in the Boualem Sansal case and continued until Independence Day, the French had hoped for the release of their 'writer,' either by reducing his sentence or issuing a presidential pardon. However, neither possibility materialised, a development that has confounded the political and media landscape in France and placed the French authorities, led by Emmanuel Macron, in a major embarrassment before the local public opinion. For nearly a week, French diplomacy has been under intense fire from Sansal's defenders, particularly the so-called Committee for the International Support of Boualem Sansal, represented by its president, Noëlle Lenoir, and its active member, Arnaud Benedetti. The committee accused the French authorities of not acting energetically enough, believing that the time for appeasement gestures is no longer right. Although Sansal did not benefit from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's pardon, based on the Algerian presidency's statement that excluded those who committed crimes against the country's territorial integrity, several French officials and some figures affiliated with the far right came out to confirm that a pardon was still possible and might even be considered a health consideration. This prompted the Algerian Press Agency to circulate a telegram that dashed all hopes of a pardon for the Franco-Algerian writer. This development has caused a stir in political and diplomatic circles in France, and the prospect of a renewed escalation between the two sides, which began earlier this year, has appeared on the horizon. This has been marked by the return of the former French ambassador to Algeria, who served twice, Xavier Driencourt, to the media spotlight via far-right media platforms, calling on Paris to return to its iron-fist logic and speaking of Algeria's humiliation of Paris, in a clear repetition of phrases previously repeated by the Interior Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, before he disappeared from view some time ago.
El Chorouk
09-07-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
The French Unleash Their Former Ambassador to Attack Algeria
Xavier Driencourt, France's former ambassador to Algeria, has reappeared in right-leaning French media outlets. The retired diplomat made two appearances on consecutive days, which suggests that this 'giant' has been freed from the shackles he was believed to have been bound by during the undeclared truce unilaterally observed by Paris, in an attempt to win over Algerian authorities to release the Franco-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, who is serving a five-year prison sentence in Algeria. For many weeks, the retired diplomat, who worked in Algeria twice (2008 and 2012), and (2017 and 2020), had not made any media appearances. This 'disappearance' coincided with a remarkable calm in French political and media circles regarding their dealings with Algeria, including those with right-wing leanings. This leads one to believe that the man received signals from decision-makers about the necessity of staying out of the spotlight. Xavier Driencourt, in an interview with French radio station 'Europe 1' on Wednesday, July 9, reiterated his inflammatory statements against Algeria, calling on his country's authorities to adopt a 'iron fist' policy. These statements were expected from him, as his frequent media appearances have become synonymous with attacking Algeria. According to the author of the books 'The Algerian Enigma' and 'Double Blindness,' Algeria has succeeded in taming French arrogance, despite the threats issued by more than one official in the administration of French President Emmanuel Macron. Here, Xavier questioned the threat issued by French Prime Minister François Bayrou last February, when he said that his country was giving Algerian authorities six weeks to settle the issue of Algerians who had been ordered to be expelled from French territory. However, to date, after nearly five months, none of what Bayrou promised has materialized, while Boualem Sansal remains imprisoned. According to Driencourt, Algerian authorities derive their strength from the weakness of French authorities, reiterating the demand for taking certain measures that have proven to be ineffective in subjugating Algerian authorities, who act based on defending their sovereign rights, and according to the same logic that the French defend, which is the independence of justice. Before appearing as a guest on 'Europe 1' radio, Driencourt, who suddenly transformed into a theoretician for the far-right regarding Algerian-French relations, had previously appeared as a guest on 'Le Figaro Live' online, where he also attacked the silence of French authorities regarding the continued imprisonment of Boualem Sansal. The retired diplomat criticized French circles that are futilely trying to instill hope in the supporters of the Franco-Algerian writer that he will be released soon, each time. He pointed here to the initial clinging to the possibility of overturning the court's sentence at the level of the Algiers Judicial Council, but the decision upheld the sentence. Then, hope shifted to a presidential pardon on the occasion of the double anniversary of Independence and Youth Day. Now, there is talk these days about the possibility of a pardon for Sansal for health reasons, as he is ill. When that does not happen, attention will turn, as Driencourt said, to next November, and so on. Xavier Driencourt expressed his disappointment at the lack of European support for the French position on the Sansal case, noting that Noëlle Lenoir, the head of the so-called International Committee to Support Sansal, contacted European Union officials to rally support for her cause, but she heard from them statements such as Brussels awaiting concrete action from Paris before taking action, which he considered a negative stance. The current French position on the Sansal case resembles what Spain experienced more than two years ago, when the Madrid government rushed to appeal to the European Union for support against the economic sanctions imposed by Algeria on Spanish companies at the time. However, it did not receive any support. In fact, countries like Italy and Spain, both EU member states, exploited the situation and entered into an exceptional partnership with Algeria (in the case of Italy), making Rome the exclusive distributor of Algerian gas in Europe, after Madrid had spent billions of euros to prepare the infrastructure to play the same role.
El Chorouk
07-07-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
De Villepin Criticizes Again: 'The Iron Fist Does Not Work With Algeria!'
Former French Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin, said that the strategy of the French authorities to recover the Franco-Algerian writer, sentenced in Algeria to five years in prison, failed, because the iron fist policy that Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, tried to practice is not effective with a country like Algeria. De Villepin, who is considered one of the brilliant French diplomats and who previously worked with former French President, Jacques Chirac, revealed a state of fragmentation suffered by decision-making institutions in Paris, calling for leaving the French President to work on the case of Sansal and journalist Christophe Glize, who was initially sentenced by the Algiers Court of First Instance to seven years in prison in a case related to terrorism. Two currents are vying for decision-making in France: the first is represented by French President, Emmanuel Macron, and Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, who cling to diplomacy as the only option, while Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Prime Minister François Bayrou tend towards escalation. It later became clear that the iron fist policy adopted by Retailleau had reached a dead end. The former foreign minister explained, wondering in an interview with the French news channel 'LCI' on Sunday night to Monday: 'Who can provide the fastest and best solution for the release of the two French prisoners from Algerian prisons? It is the President of the Republic and the government. A unified government does not do one thing and its opposite. Confusion leads to paying a heavy price. The President must be allowed to work, as he is the one who has communication with President Tebboune, and they are the ones who understand the right moment to revive the mechanism of bilateral cooperation.' He added: 'Today there are many files on the table, and these files involve complex disputes. These issues, including the Sansal case, must be raised,' stressing that the iron fist approach cannot yield results when it comes to intertwined and complex relations such as Algerian-French relations, due to considerations related to history and the wounds suffered by one party or the other. The French official hinted that the policy pursued by Interior Minister Retailleau is what exacerbated the situation and complicated the task of releasing Boualem Sansal, whose French attachment remains suspicious and questionable, as he only obtained citizenship for one year, in contrast to an incomprehensible silence regarding the fate of sports journalist Christophe Glize, whose prison term exceeded Sansal's sentence, which De Villepin expressed when he addressed the journalist who was only asking him about Sansal: 'We have two prisoners in Algeria, Boualem Sansal and sports journalist Christophe Glize.' In order to resolve the tense situation with Algeria, Dominique de Villepin called for a gesture towards Algeria to reduce tension and pave the way in the coming days and weeks. Despite the campaign against the French writer and historian, Jean-Michel Abati, when he spoke about massacres suffered by Algerians at the hands of the French occupation army, and said that they resembled the massacres of Nazi Germany, De Villepin shared Abati's opinion, and spoke about the burning operations carried out by the French General Bugeaud against Algeria in the early years of the occupation. The journalist asked him if he confirmed Jean-Michel Abati's description of the 'Oradour-sur-Glane' incident, to which De Villepin replied, 'When we besiege Algerians and burn them, the comparison becomes possible. I grew up near the Oradour-sur-Glane area, and I weigh my words carefully on this issue,' knowing that Michel Abati had been punished for those statements by 'RTL' radio, before the French audiovisual regulatory authority issued a comment criticizing those statements as well. De Villepin stressed: 'History must move out of the double standards. The 2005 law harmed many African peoples, as it glorifies colonial practices. We are at a time when we must respect the memory of others. Recognizing the suffering of others… A new page must be written so that what we are experiencing today with Algeria does not recur.'
