Paris Escalates, Driencourt Recommends American and Italian Mediation
Although the Algerian side has maintained calm since the exchange of consular officials from both countries about three weeks ago, the French side does not hesitate to fuel the crisis from time to time, by making gratuitous and often provocative statements, indicating that politicians in Paris have not yet digested the Algerian authorities’ efforts to establish equal relations with the former colony.
Those rushing to fuel the escalation at the official level in France are no longer political figures known for their far-right backgrounds, hostile to Algeria and its interests, such as Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau. This time, the trend has extended to figures considered more appeased until recently, such as Sophie Primas, spokesperson for the government of François Bayrou.
Just two days after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that relations with Algeria remain at an “impasse,” attributing the reason to the Algerian side’s failure to respond to French demands for the release of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, the French government spokeswoman, speaking at a press conference following the French cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening, made statements no less provocative than those previously issued by Bruno Retailleau regarding Algeria.
Sophie Primas acknowledged the seriousness of the crisis, saying, “In reality, the situation with Algeria has reached a dead end today.” Without hesitating or avoiding threatening language, she vowed to go further in the logic of escalation against Algeria, or what she described as a “gradual response,” a strategy which was, as is well known, invented by the French Interior Minister.
The French government spokeswoman added, “In light of this impasse, the Prime Minister, the Interior Minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs will return to work together in a phase of consultation and negotiation to continue implementing this gradual response to Algeria, and perhaps intensify it.” She also spoke of a resumption of discussions within the executive branch, to “determine how to accelerate the expansion of this gradual response.”
As is typical of French officials, they always highlight their demands and cloak them in legitimacy. However, they ignore Algeria’s right to defend its geopolitical interests in the face of France’s position, which contravenes international law on the Western Sahara issue, as well as the release of the consular employee who was subjected to a spectacular kidnapping on a Parisian street by French domestic security agents, who work under the command of the Interior Minister.
In the same context, former French ambassador to Algeria, Xavier Driencourt, made new statements on France 5 TV, on Wednesday, expressing his conviction that the French side has failed to achieve its aspirations, under the strategy of intimidation and threats, since the outbreak of the unprecedented crisis between the two countries last summer. He ruled out a resumption of dialogue shortly.
The retired diplomat called on his country’s authorities to seek Italian or American mediation to secure the release of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal.
In his opinion, if US President Donald Trump were to intervene in Sansal’s case, a solution would be found. He dreamily said, “If the US president posted on X (a tweet) demanding that the Algerian authorities release the imprisoned writer, I can be certain that Algerians would respond positively, because relations between Algeria and Washington are at their best,” he claimed.
However, Algeria has maintained its calm in the face of French provocations. Yet, it remains committed to its legitimate rights, including the imperative of France bearing responsibility for the crimes it committed in Algeria during the colonial era. This was expressed by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in his address to Algerians on the occasion of the anniversary of the May 8, 1945, massacres, when he said: “The memory issue will not be subject to oblivion or denial.”
