Polarization Intensifies in France Over the Crisis With Algeria

The political and media debate continues in France about the escalating crisis with Algeria, dividing public opinion into two camps. The first warns against continuing escalation. In contrast, the second continues to incite and escalate, claiming that Algeria insulted a “major country” the size of France and must receive a response.

After the French Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, who has right-wing tendencies, was met with a campaign of criticism from prominent French political figures due to his reckless rush to destroy relations with Algeria, he found himself alone. On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, appeared on the “France Inter” channel, trying to get him out of his political isolation.

Sébastien Lecornu expressed his regret for what he described as “the current excesses of the Algerian government”, referring to the imprisonment of the French writer, Boualem Sansal, accused in Algeria of endangering the country’s territorial integrity. Lecornu advocated a review of relations with Algeria: “We are in a breakdown and we need to rebuild this relationship, without weakness and naivety.”

However, this support (the support of the Interior Minister) came from a person who was expected to say this as a right-wing minister (Sébastien Lecornu), who belongs to the same party as Bruno Retailleau, the “Republicans” party, which ranked fourth in the last legislative elections and entered the government of François Bayrou following complex alliances.

This proposal faced criticism from many senior French politicians, the last of them was former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, who also held the French Foreign Ministry during the era of the late President Jacques Chirac. For the second time in less than a week, de Villepin warned of the dangers of the escalation led by a prominent government member, represented by the Interior Minister Retailleau.

On Monday, January 21, 2025, as a guest on the “France Info” channel, he warned of the dangers of the confrontational approach led by the French authorities in dealing with their Algerian counterparts. Without delving into the issue much, he summarized the reason for the escalation between the two capitals these days, in the fact that one of the members of the government exceeded the limits of his powers.

“From the beginning, there was a misunderstanding. There was a Minister of Interior who wanted to solve problems that could only be solved through diplomacy, at the expense of the powers of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the expense of diplomacy,” said Dominique de Villepin, in a clear indication that the complexity of the crisis was caused by Bruno Retaileau, who interfered in matters that did not enter within his powers.

The former French Foreign Minister warned: “We must measure well, if Italy has been able to solve the immigration problems to a large extent, it is because it has known how to employ diplomacy. If we have failed in something, it is perhaps because we have not used the appropriate means sufficiently,” adding: “In my career, I have dealt with many crises more difficult than this one. I know that this is not the way to reach a solution, because crises are never solved through escalation and outbidding.”

Like some wise French politicians, Dominique de Villepin attacked those who were calling for the 1968 agreement to be reviewed or unilaterally abolished, like the far right figures, led by the former French ambassador to Algeria, Xavier Driencourt, say, saying: “We have reviewed the 1968 agreement several times. If we want to review it again, we must discuss it with the Algerians.”

Dominique de Villepin denounces a “punitive position” and a “policy of the worst”: “We have paid throughout history, dearly enough, to learn that there is only one path, that of friendship, that of respect and I very much hope, of reconciliation because our people deserve it”.

“We are not in a position today to indulge in settling scores. We have paid a high price throughout history to learn lessons. There is only one way, which is friendship and respect. I hope for reconciliation because our two peoples deserve it,” de Villepin said.