The Francophonie Loses Positions In Algeria, Prevails In Tunisia And Morocco

The latest statistics for 2022 issued by the International Organization of the Francophonie revealed shocking figures relating to the use of the French language in Algeria compared to its neighbours in the Maghreb, as it is less embracing the French language compared to both Tunisia and Morocco, despite the historical considerations, which are supposed to play in favour of the continued dominance of the Voltaire language on the linguistic scene in Algeria.

In the statistical process of the organization, it was found that the influence of the French language in Algeria is less compared to its neighbours, and confirmed that more than half of Tunisians speak the French language, exactly 52%, which is equivalent to six million and 321 thousand, of the total population.

As for the Maghreb country most affected by the French language after Tunisia, it is the Kingdom of Morocco, with 36% of the total Moroccan people, equivalent to 13 million and 454 thousand people out of a total of 37.7 million people, then Algeria with 33%, or the equivalent of 14 million and 904 thousand people, of the total population of 45.3 million.

Mauritania ranks fourth with 13% of the population, which is equivalent to 656 thousand French-speaking people, out of a total of 4.9 million people, who make up the population of this country located in the western flank of the Maghreb region.

Algeria is not considered a member of the Francophonie, which includes 89 countries, unlike all of its neighbours in the Maghreb, Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania. However, it participates in the summits of the Francophonie as a special guest, which many French people did not like.

A few days ago, the disclosure of a DZD 2000 Algerian banknote, which included a phrase in English, sparked a political and media discussion in France, regretting the continued decline of the French language in the Algerian scene in exchange for the progress of the English language, which has become taught in the primary stage, and some understood this as a prick for the French President, Emmanuel Macron, who barely managed to restore bilateral relations with Algeria to stability after many months of a complicated crisis.

These figures are consistent with the statement made by French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting with young ambassadors of the Francophonie on the island of Djerba, southeastern Tunisia, on Saturday evening, on the sidelines of the eighteenth session of the Francophone Summit, according to a video clip broadcast by the French presidency.

The French President made it clear that the use of the French language is constantly declining in the Maghreb countries, compared to its situation 20 or 30 years ago.

In response to a question about the status of the French language in its former colonies, Macron admitted that “the French language is expanding demographically in some Francophone countries, but we must be clear that there is a real decline of the French language in the Maghreb countries.”

As for the reasons that led to the decline of the French language in its areas of influence, especially in the Maghreb region, the French president estimated that this has to do with some political reasons, including the desire of some countries to switch to other languages, as well as “the presence of an easy-to-use English language.”

The French President spoke about what he called a program to “restore the status of the French language”, and suggested strengthening education, culture and sports programs and the French education network in the world. He also estimated that “the real challenge facing the Francophonie is to promote the use of the French language, especially in Africa, where it is widely used.”