France will send its first list of expellees to Algeria

Diplomatic tensions between France and Algeria continue to rise, particularly regarding immigration issues. In this context, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has announced that a first list of expellees will be sent to Algeria. This list includes about ten Algerian citizens residing in France, who must be expelled for various reasons, although this number may increase in the future.

French President Emmanuel Macron met with Bruno Retailleau to discuss this initiative. According to the minister, the goal is to strengthen relations with Algeria, hoping that the delivery of this list will be seen as a gesture of goodwill. However, Macron emphasized that the full restoration of bilateral relations would require reciprocal efforts and could not be done unilaterally.

The situation has recently worsened, especially after an incident in Mulhouse in February, involving an Algerian citizen under the obligation to leave French territory (OQTF). This has increased pressure for France to take concrete measures against certain residents. Initially, French authorities were considering creating a longer list, which would include hundreds of people, but the first version is limited to about ten names.

At the same time, relations between France and Algeria have been severely affected by France’s stance on the Moroccan Sahara. After the implicit recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the region in 2024, France has intensified its diplomatic visits to the southern provinces of Morocco, particularly Dakhla, Laayoune, and Tarfaya. These gestures have been interpreted as support for Morocco’s position, further aggravating tensions with Algeria.

Finally, France’s concerns about security and the fight against terrorism in the region remain paramount. Paris is closely monitoring the situation in Algeria, particularly regarding Franco-Algerian jihadists potentially returning from Syria, a factor that further complicates bilateral relations.