Algiers (EFE).- Algiers on Thursday officially canceled its 2013 visa waiver agreement with France for diplomatic passport holders, after French President Emmanuel Macron instructed his government to suspend the deal due to growing tensions between the two countries.
“The French suspended it. Algeria has now fully canceled the agreement,” a spokesperson for the Algerian Foreign Ministry told EFE, confirming the move following Macron’s letter to Prime Minister François Bayrou urging a tougher stance on Algeria.
Algeria’s government said it refuses to bow to “pressure” or “threats” from France, placing responsibility for the deterioration in ties squarely on Paris.
The Foreign Ministry said Algeria’s responses so far have adhered strictly to the principle of reciprocity.
Macron demands ‘greater firmness’
The diplomatic rift escalated after Macron’s private letter to Bayrou was leaked on Wednesday.
In it, he expressed frustration over the lack of progress in diplomatic efforts and called for “greater firmness,” including the suspension of the 2013 visa exemption agreement for diplomats and officials.
Macron’s call came amid mounting political pressure in France over Algeria’s refusal to accept nationals that France seeks to deport, especially those convicted of crimes or deemed threats to national security.
“Algeria is not honoring its commitments,” Bayrou told reporters on Thursday during a visit to Île-d’Aix in western France.
He cited the 1968 bilateral agreement as “extremely advantageous” for Algeria and added: “France has made considerable efforts, 10 times, to restore mutual understanding.”
Bayrou stressed that France’s tougher stance was not about shirking its responsibilities but rather ensuring that Algeria fulfills its own.
“The goal is to see the principles of the agreements respected and, one day, to return to normal relations,” he said.
Tensions rooted in colonial history and migration issues
Relations between Algeria and France, its former colonial ruler until 1962, have long been volatile, often shaped by issues such as migration, collective memory of colonization, and the political weight of the Algerian diaspora in France.
The latest rift began in July 2024 when Macron publicly backed Morocco’s autonomy plan as the only viable solution to the Western Sahara conflict, abandoning France’s previous stance of neutrality.
Algeria, a key supporter of the Polisario Front, reacted by immediately recalling its ambassador from Paris. The fallout continued with mutual expulsions of diplomats.
In April, Algeria expelled 12 French officials after a consular agent was arrested in Paris. France responded in kind, also expelling 12 Algerian consular staff and summoning its ambassador for consultations. Paris accused Algeria of “choosing escalation.”
Algiers has also criticized France for failing to uphold the 1968 agreement, which grants Algerians preferential treatment in terms of residence, employment, and family reunification.
Under the deal, Algerians can obtain a 10-year residency permit after just three years in France, compared to five years for most other nationalities.
French political voices, including Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, have called for the agreement’s termination, saying Algeria does not meet its obligation to accept deportees.
An April visit to Algiers by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot aimed at restoring ties appeared to make progress, but relations quickly soured again. EFE
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