Ségolène Royal Faces Fierce Criticism For Visiting Algeria

Since she visited Algeria, Ségolène Royal, president of the France-Algeria Association, has been subjected to a coordinated attack led by right-wing and far-right politicians and media known for their adherence to pre-1962 sentiments, or what are termed “French Algeria” circles.

Among the most vocal critics of the former 2007 French presidential candidate, Ségolène Royal, for this visit, which they considered a betrayal of France, was Senator Valérie Boyer of the Republicans party, led by former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who is known for his obsession with everything Algerian or related to Algeria.

Valérie Boyer called on the funders of the “France-Algeria Association,” headed by Ségolène Royal, to suspend their funding. The French senator wrote on her X (formerly Twitter) account: “Ségolène Royal chairs an association whose laudable goal is the promotion of Franco-Algerian friendship. The indecent remarks she made about France in her capacity as president urgently call on the public funders of this association to suspend or withdraw their support”.

Ségolène Royal belongs to the socialist political family in France, which has led to her moderate views and positions on Algeria. This is something the French right and far right cannot tolerate, as their relationship with Algeria is rooted in the legacy of colonialism, a legacy that has become a political and historical complex. Algeria’s independence was seen as a setback to the dreams of this current, which is steeped in neo-colonial ideas and attitudes.

Ségolène Royal also faced concentrated attacks from far-right media owned by businessman Vincent Bolloré, particularly the CNews channel and the Europe 1 radio station. These outlets enlisted the help of some right-wing political figures, such as former French minister Pierre Lellouche, who was outraged by the statements made by the head of the “France-Algeria Association.”

Former minister Lellouche said that Ségolène Royal, through her visit to Algeria and her statements centred on “Algerianism” and “Islamophobia,” was seeking a foothold in the French political scene. Lellouche also deemed her statements “unacceptable and contemptuous of France.”

MP Charles Rodwell, from Macron’s party, considered Royal’s actions a “state scandal and an act of treason,” driven by political considerations. Rodwell is one of two MPs who conducted an investigation last November into what they termed the “Algerian burden” on the French public treasury. This investigation aimed to pressure the French authorities to abrogate the 1968 immigration agreement with Algeria.

On the same far-right channel, commentators rejected Ségolène Royal’s demands to hand over the archives to Algeria. Among them was journalist Charlotte d’Ornellas, who warned that complying with the former French presidential candidate’s request would put at risk those who had collaborated with France during the Algerian War of Independence and remained in Algeria.

It is clear that those who launched this heinous attack on Ségolène Royal because of this visit are from the same background, and they are known for their hostility towards everything Algerian. It is also noteworthy that these people represent only a small elite who adopt ideas based on discrimination and rejection of the other. They are the ones who look to target relations between Algeria and Paris. They have succeeded in pushing the French President, Emmanuel Macron, to make decisions that were ultimately detrimental to French interests in Algeria.