France has expelled 12 Algerian diplomats in a retaliatory move that marks a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions between Paris and Algiers.
The decision, announced Tuesday, follows Algeria’s expulsion of 12 French diplomatic personnel a day earlier. Algiers attributed its action to the arrest of an Algerian consular official by French authorities in connection with a kidnapping case. However, the diplomatic rift stretches back months, rooted in deepening political disagreements and mounting mutual distrust.
Relations began to sour last summer after France shifted its stance to support Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara—a move that angered Algeria, which has long supported the pro-independence Polisario Front in the disputed territory.
The relationship further deteriorated in November when Algerian authorities arrested Boualem Sansal, a French-Algerian writer and outspoken critic of the Algerian government.
In response to Algeria’s latest move, the Élysée Palace on Tuesday confirmed not only the expulsion of 12 Algerian officials but also the recall of France’s ambassador to Algiers for consultations. The French government pointed fingers at Algerian authorities, stating they were responsible for “a brutal deterioration in our bilateral relations.”
The diplomatic clash is unfolding against the backdrop of a high-profile criminal investigation in France. According to French counterterrorism prosecutors, three Algerian nationals were arrested last week and charged with “kidnapping or arbitrary detention … in connection with a terrorist undertaking.” Among those detained is the Algerian consular official accused of involvement in the April 2024 kidnapping of Amir Boukhors—popularly known as Amir DZ—a government critic with over 1.1 million TikTok followers.
The fallout comes just weeks after what appeared to be a moment of diplomatic thaw. French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune spoke by phone and reportedly agreed to rekindle cooperation and improve ties. That brief detente has now been overshadowed by the sharp diplomatic reprisals on both sides.
