BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers condemns a “flagrant violation of diplomatic norms” and warns of further firm responses to provocative acts by France’s Interior Minister
Algiers, Algeria | April 14th, 2025 — In a sharp escalation of diplomatic tensions between Algiers and Paris, the Algerian government announced on Monday its decision to expel twelve French officials serving at the French Embassy and Consulates across Algeria. The move comes in direct response to what Algeria described as the “spectacular and ostentatious” arrest of one of its consular agents by French authorities on April 8, 2025, on public grounds in Paris—an act it deemed a gross affront to international diplomatic conventions.
The twelve French personnel, who operate under the jurisdiction of France’s Ministry of the Interior, have been declared persona non grata and ordered to leave Algerian territory within 48 hours. This sovereign measure, according to a strongly-worded communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, “responds to the deeply offensive manner in which a consular agent, duly accredited and protected by international immunities and privileges, was treated by French security forces.”
Algeria denounced the incident as a “deliberate humiliation” orchestrated by the French Minister of the Interior, accusing him of attempting to degrade the Algerian state and compromise diplomatic dignity for self-serving motives. The communiqué further described the arrest as a flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and other relevant international treaties.
“This disgraceful approach, initiated without the slightest regard for the agent’s consular status, ignores all diplomatic conventions and customary practices,” the statement declared. “The Interior Minister of France bears full responsibility for the deterioration of relations between the two countries, just as both nations had begun a cautious process of de-escalation.”
This process of rapprochement had notably included a recent telephone exchange between the Presidents of Algeria and France, followed by an official visit to Algiers by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs—a momentum now undermined by what Algeria considers a politically reckless act.
The Foreign Ministry did not mince words in its critique of the French Interior Minister, branding him a political opportunist prone to “barbouzeries”—a French term denoting underhanded or clandestine actions—pursued for personal gain at the expense of diplomatic stability.
“His blatant lack of political discernment and the shameful treatment inflicted upon a consular official—degraded like a common criminal—are beneath the standards expected of a democratic state that claims adherence to the rule of law and international norms,” the communiqué continued.
Algeria concluded with a stark warning: any further provocations or violations emanating from the French Interior Ministry would be met with a “firm and proportionate response based on the principle of reciprocity.”
The expulsion of French personnel is seen not only as a decisive diplomatic gesture, but also as a statement of national dignity—emphasizing Algeria’s unwillingness to tolerate colonial-era condescension or unilateral breaches of protocol.
