French Algerian Crisis: Benjamin Stora Holds Macron Responsible

After a long absence in the shadow of the crisis, the “voice of reason” in France, the historian and specialist in Algerian-French relations Benjamin Stora, appeared to explain the escalating political and diplomatic crisis between Algeria and France.

What is different in Stora’s remarks was that, unlike many of his French counterparts, who were blinded by fanaticism, he fully attributed responsibility to the French authorities.

Stora, during his appearance as a guest on France 24, in a talk show, did not hesitate to accuse French President Emmanuel Macron of destroying bilateral relations, due to some of his reckless positions on issues considered very sensitive, and even fateful for the Algerian authorities, such as the Western Sahara issue.

Asked about who is responsible for the collapse of relations between Algeria and Paris, Benjamin Stora said: “I believe that what bilateral relations are experiencing these days is the second most dangerous of its kind, after the one experienced in 1971, following the nationalization of hydrocarbons by the late President Houari Boumediene. But this time there is a complex political diplomatic crisis, marked by the recall of the (Algerian) ambassador from Paris, accompanied by verbal escalation and outbidding, which increased its complexity.”

Without hesitation, the head of the French-Algerian mixed commission of historians, on the French side, to study the memory file, held President Macron responsible for what is happening: “First, we must point out the statement of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, regarding the (alleged) sovereignty of the Moroccan regime over the Sahrawi lands, which poured oil on the fire,” referring to Macron’s support for the autonomy plan presented by the Alawite kingdom in 2007.

Sora also explained another factor that contributed in turn to fueling the escalating crisis, namely the changes taking place in the political arena in France, with the rise of the right and the far right, President Macron’s decision to dissolve the French National Assembly (the lower house of parliament), and Macron’s alliance with this (right-wing) movement, known for its positions in support of the Alawite regime in Rabat and hostile to Algerian interests. In addition to the decline of the left-wing movement and the diminishing role of the Gaullist movement within the right, there has been a decline in the “Republican” party that has limited influence.

Furthermore, Benjamin Stora spoke about the role of a current in all former French colonies in Africa: “a conservative current, and in Algeria a conservative Islamic current, known for its positions on colonialism and France in particular, aiming to preserve the country’s political sovereignty.”

The French historian spoke about the serious repercussions of the French president’s decision to support the (alleged) sovereignty of the Moroccan regime over the Sahrawi lands, on the memory project that he had worked on for a long time, and said that “after the Algerians agreed to discuss this sensitive file (memory), they were surprised by Macron’s position on the Western Sahara issue, which prompted them to immediately stop working and coordinating on the memory file, because the issue went beyond the historical aspect to the political dimension.”

Benjamin Stora returned to speak about Macron’s position on the Sahrawi issue, stressing that what the master of the Elysee Palace did is considered a departure from France’s traditional position since the so-called “Green March” in 1976, where the French position has been based on a kind of balance by supporting the self-determination of the Sahrawi people, according to the decisions of the United Nations. However, Macron, added Benjamin Stora, granted sovereignty to the Moroccan regime over Western Sahara, which the Algerians considered a stab in the back.

For Benjamin Stora, the way out of the current crisis between Algeria and Paris lies in resuming work on the memory file, which was the reason for the rapprochement that occurred during the last two years, according to him, because “achieving reconciliation does not come through a speech or an apology, but rather, time and in-depth work are needed, because French colonialism in Algeria lasted 132 years.”