Algeria’s dangerous game

Algeria’s parliament on Wednesday unanimously adopted a law criminalising French colonial rule (1830–1962) and demanding official apologies and compensation from France, further straining already fragile relations between the two countries.

Presented as a long-overdue historical reckoning, the vote also underscores how Algeria’s leadership continues to weaponise memory politics amid domestic stagnation, shrinking freedoms and political paralysis. 

The law assigns legal responsibility to the French state for colonial-era abuses, including nuclear tests, torture and economic exploitation, and declares compensation an “inalienable right” of Algeria and its people.

Paris reacted sharply. France’s foreign ministry described the initiative as “hostile” and harmful to efforts to restore dialogue, even as it reiterated willingness to cooperate with Algiers on security and migration.

In reality, the law carries little legal weight internationally and cannot compel France to act. Its impact is largely symbolic. Critics see it as a tool aimed inward, designed to stir nationalist sentiment and distract from Algeria’s deeper problems: economic malaise, youth unemployment and the absence of meaningful political reform.

Despite civilian institutions, Algeria remains a de facto military-run state, where real power lies with the army and security services. 

Under President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, dissent has been increasingly curtailed, independent voices sidelined and political debate tightly controlled. 

During the same parliamentary session, lawmakers approved amendments allowing the state to strip dual nationals of Algerian citizenship for acts deemed harmful to national interests, even if committed abroad, raising serious concerns over civil liberties.

At the same time, Algeria is pursuing a risky foreign policy realignment. Algiers has deepened its strategic ties with Russia and Iran, positioning itself closer to authoritarian blocs at a moment of global instability. This shift risks further isolating the country diplomatically while reinforcing its hardline posture at home.

Regional tensions are also rising. Algeria has intensified its hostility toward neighboring Morocco, particularly over Western Sahara, fuelling rivalry and undermining regional cooperation in North Africa.

The colonial past remains a deeply emotive issue. But critics argue that Algeria’s ruling elite prefers to fight symbolic battles over history rather than confront present-day realities: a rigid political system, military dominance, economic hardship and a widening gap between the state and its society.