Macron Is A Prisoner Of Contradictions… This Is The Only Solution To The Crisis

The diplomatic crisis between Algeria and Paris had barely subsided before it resurfaced after French authorities arrested an Algerian consular officer in France in an unacceptable manner in the street, which Algeria denounced as a “disgraceful action” in which France did not respect the minimum diplomatic norms and conventions, prompting Algeria to respond to the showy and defamatory arrest by declaring 12 French diplomats “undesirable” and requesting their departure from the country within 48 hours. France later announced the expulsion of 12 people working in Algerian consulates there.

Mr. Nasser Khabat, secretary general of the Dynamic Movement of the Algerian Community in France (MOUDAF), sees this situation as an expression of a deep issue in the thinking of French elites, who still have not fully accepted Algerian independence and are trying to escape the reality by constantly creating issues and tensions.

Mr. Khabat told “Echorouk” that every time tensions rise, a kind of paternalistic, late-colonial paternalism resurfaces, which some French circles, including at the highest level of the state, are keen to nurture. Algeria, on the other hand, is acting steadily and consistently, demanding an equal partnership based on mutual respect and full sovereignty.

Therefore, this crisis is also a reaction to the accumulation of negative signals coming from Paris, whether on issues of memory, migration, or security, he said.

Mr. Khabat predicts that the crisis between the two countries will continue for a long time “if France does not make a deep review of the way it deals with Algeria.”

“Algeria is no longer in a position of waiting, but is increasingly asserting its diplomatic independence and adopting firm positions when its interests are compromised. In a multipolar world, Algeria has alternatives, even within Europe and the Mediterranean basin. The stability of Algerian-French relations now depends on Paris’ ability to realize that the time of symbolic hegemony is over and that Algeria no longer accepts an unbalanced or condescending partnership.”

Regarding the Elysee Palace resident’s position on the crisis, Mr. Nasser Khabat said: “Macron is trapped by his own contradictions. On the one hand, he claims that he wants to reconcile memories. On the other hand, he is increasingly succumbing to the pressure of identityist and xenophobic currents in France, which is reflected in the statements of the ministers of François Bayrou’s government, especially Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, and right-wing media that seek to increase tensions between the two countries.

The far right is now imposing a large part of the political agenda, especially with regard to migration and memory, using hostility to Algeria as fuel for an election campaign or an internal French crisis. The French president appears weak, as he is no longer able to materialize a coherent foreign policy. His management of the relationship with Algeria lacks vision, continuity and political courage.”

As for the role that the Algerian community in France can play in this crisis, the secretary general of MOUDAF says: “The Algerian community is a major strategic force, as it is firmly rooted in France, but remains linked to Algeria through multiple ties: Cultural, familial, emotional and economic. This community often pays the price for bilateral tensions, but it also has the potential to be a lever for change.”

It is clear that their role will become more important and influential in the coming years, so it is necessary to organize them within an institutionalized Algerian framework, recognize them, and accompany them in their organizing and representation efforts. A strong and recognized diaspora can contribute to rebalancing the balance of power and conveying the Algerian voice within French society itself, he said.

On the possibility of some countries playing a mediating role in calming the tension between Algeria and Paris, Mr. Khabat said: “Algeria has never asked for external mediation, as it has always favored a clear bilateral relationship based on the principles of sovereignty and respect. However, there could be external parties that could play the role of facilitator – especially Mediterranean countries like Italy, or influential partners like China or Qatar, and the African Union or the Arab League could be a space for dialogue – if Paris accepts the reality of Algeria’s regional repositioning.”

“The real solution to all that has happened and is happening lies in changing France’s perception of Algeria, which must abandon its verticality and regain the meaning of state-to-state dialogue.”