A fragile thaw between Paris and Algiers

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez began a two-day visit to Algeria on Monday in an effort to revive security cooperation between Paris and Algiers. 

The trip, however, takes place against a backdrop of deep and persistent diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Relations sharply deteriorated in the summer of 2024 after France officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, a disputed territory claimed by the Polisario Front and backed by Algeria. The move angered Algerian authorities and marked a turning point in bilateral ties.

Since then, tensions have escalated through a series of incidents, including the abduction of an Algerian influencer critical of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s government, the arrest of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, the indictment of an Algerian consular official in France, and the subsequent expulsion of French diplomats from Algiers. These episodes have deepened mistrust on both sides.

Although no meeting with President Tebboune has been officially scheduled, Nuñez did not rule out the possibility. The visit appears to be a cautious attempt to reopen dialogue in a relationship strained by political disagreements and recurring diplomatic crises.