Renewed Denunciation of the 1968 Agreement With Algeria: French Fears of a Strong Backlash

The French have revived the debate surrounding the 1968 migration agreement with Algeria after the Boualem Sansal affair.

Some opportunists in Paris have even called on their government to review or unilaterally abrogate the agreement. However, their apprehensions have fueled fears of a harsh response from the Algerian authorities, which they believe could be primarily of an economic nature.

While specialists in Algerian-French relations call for taking into account the social specificities that characterise relations between the two shores of the Mediterranean—a point raised by some experts, as noted in an article in Le Monde on Monday, November 17, 2025—there seems to be a strong desire to go in the opposite direction, according to the right-wing platform Europe 1.

Emmanuel Blanchard, historian and professor at the Institute of Political Studies in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, affirms that “It’s difficult to grasp the unique nature of the Franco-Algerian relationship, which can lead to the recognition of easier mobility…Yet, apart from New Caledonia, there were no other settler colonies, and very few foreigners have been French citizens for more than a century.

“From the mid-19th century, all the populations in Algeria were legally French until 1962, the year of independence and the Evian Accords.” These accords, according to Emmanuel Blanchard, “stipulated freedom of movement for everyone, including Algerians, who retained the right to enter and settle in France” for work, under bilateral agreements.

While the French continue to talk about the privileges granted to Algerian nationals under the 1968 agreement, the same newspaper quotes Abderrazak Boudjelti, president of the Franco-Algerian Lawyers’ Union, who refutes these claims based on his role as a legal professional and as an observer of the situation on the ground.

Commenting on the claims regarding the “privileges” enjoyed by Algerians under the 1968 agreement, Boudjelti stated, “There is a vast gap between the law and practice.” He expressed his astonishment at what he termed the “lies” circulating about the agreement, asserting that the prefectures (local administrations in France) “blatantly disregard the few, albeit costly, advantages of the general law.” He explained that “most residency permits granted to Algerians are issued in compliance with court rulings,” meaning that local authorities in France only grant residency documents to Algerians after compelling them to appear before administrative courts, which then order the prefectures to respect the law.

This testimony corroborates figures released by the French Interior Ministry over the past two years, indicating that Algerians, who supposedly benefit from the 1968 agreement, as is claimed by some French circles, rank second in obtaining residency permits, behind Moroccan nationals, who do not have any such agreement with France but benefit from facilities to obtain residence licences.

Furthermore, Europe 1, a radio station known for its right-wing leanings, advocates for denouncing the 1968 agreement following the release of Boualem Sansal. However, it expressed concern about the Algerian authorities’ reaction. On Monday, November 17, 2025, it published an article titled: “Denouncing the 1968 Agreements with Algeria: Beware of the Backlash”.

“Following the release of Boualem Sansal, denouncing the 1968 agreements is more relevant than ever. The idea has majority support in the National Assembly, but the responsibility lies with the Prime Minister and the President, who are more in favour of renegotiation. Beyond the issue of migration, which lies at the heart of this agreement, the government must consider other interests, particularly economic and security concerns,” it added.

The newspaper continued: “If France denounces the 1968 agreements, Paris knows it will face a response from Algiers. This could be economic, with potential restrictions on hydrocarbons that France imports to the tune of five billion euros. Five billion euros is also the value of French companies’ exports to Algeria, which could also be affected by retaliatory measures. Security relations are already at an all-time low,” expressing surprise at those advocating confrontation with Algeria “who believe that the world’s seventh-largest economy has ample to justify denouncing the 1968 agreements.”