In an exclusive interview given on January 30 to the French newspaper *L’Opinion*, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune delivers a stark assessment of the Franco-Algerian relationship, currently at its lowest point. As tensions between Paris and Algiers continue to mount, the head of state warns of the risk of a definitive rupture while keeping the door open for dialogue.
* »The atmosphere is toxic; we are wasting time with President Macron, »* Tebboune laments from the El Mouradia Palace. The Algerian president denounces what he describes as a *“systematic smear campaign”* orchestrated by the French right and far-right, which are calling for coercive measures against Algeria: suspension of visas, denunciation of agreements on the movement of people, freezing of aid, and financial transfers.
On the migration issue, Tebboune criticizes the instrumentalization of the 1968 agreements, calling them a *“hollow shell used to rally extremists, just like in the time of Pierre Poujade.”* He also points a finger at Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, accusing him of attempting a * »political stunt by forcing the expulsion of Algerian influencer Doualemn. »* Furthermore, Tebboune reproaches France for granting * »nationality or asylum rights »* to individuals he considers to be white-collar criminals and subversive elements.
Regarding the Boualem Sansal case, which has become a flashpoint in current tensions, Tebboune appears unwilling to show leniency. While he assures that the writer is receiving medical care and remains in contact with his family, he insists that Sansal will * »be judged within the allotted time, »* dismissing any possibility of a pardon. * »This is a problem for those who created it. So far, he has not revealed all his secrets, »* he adds cryptically.
The issue of historical memory also remains central. The Algerian president emphasizes the need for a thorough effort to decontaminate sites of French nuclear tests, which he frames as an * »imperative on human, moral, political, and military grounds. »* On security cooperation, while he hints at a possible revival of ties, he shifts responsibility to France: * »It is up to France to handle the cases of jihadists who radicalized on its soil… »*
The controversy surrounding the Grand Mosque of Paris is another point of friction. Tebboune regrets the * »toxic climate »* surrounding the institution and reaffirms his support for its rector. On the Western Sahara issue, he reveals that he has warned Emmanuel Macron: * »I told President Macron that he would make a grave mistake in the Western Sahara matter. »*
Despite these numerous points of contention, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune insists that he does not seek a break with France. However, he makes it clear that the Élysée must take action to prevent what he describes as the ultimate risk: * »falling into a separation that would become irreparable. »*
In this interview, Tebboune also addresses the Palestinian question, stating that * »Algeria would be ready to normalize relations with Israel on the very day a fully sovereign Palestinian state is established. »* Domestically, he reassures the public about his political intentions: * »I have no intention of clinging to power. I will respect the Algerian constitution. »*
This exclusive interview comes at a particularly tense time in Franco-Algerian relations, with disputes piling up: historical memory, migration policies, security cooperation, the Sansal affair, the governance of the Grand Mosque of Paris, and Algeria’s position on Western Sahara. It highlights a relationship at a crossroads, where shared history continues to weigh heavily on bilateral ties.
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