Darmanin in Algiers: France questions its stance toward Algeria Gerald Darmanin's visit to Algiers this week comes at a delicate moment in Franco-Algerian relations. The French interior minister, received by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, is trying to relaunch a dialogue that has been stalled for months, but Paris is also using the trip to reassess its policy toward its former colony. Tensions have been rising since Paris's decision last year to recall its ambassador after a series of diplomatic rows, including accusations from Algeria of hostile actions and from France of difficulties in bilateral cooperation. The normalization process has been slow: meetings at ministerial level alternate with public disputes, while migration, security and memory issues remain sources of friction. In Algiers, Darmanin emphasized the need for "pragmatic cooperation" on migration and organized crime. He spoke of "shared interests" and of the importance of "concrete results" for citizens on both sides of the Mediterranean. But his remarks were cautious, reflecting divisions within the French government on how to combine firmness and dialogue. Paris is under pressure from different domestic constituencies. French politicians and associations of people of Algerian origin demand clearer commitments on consular services and dual nationality. At the same time, some government figures advocate a tougher line in response to what they describe as Algerian opacity and unilateral decisions that harm French interests. Algeria, for its part, is trying to assert its sovereignty and diversify its international partnerships, notably with China and Russia. Algerian authorities are juggling domestic expectations—economic modernization and a youth population eager for change—and a desire to renegotiate ties with France on new terms. Observers note that the personal chemistry between leaders can help—but does not guarantee—progress. President Tebboune and French President Emmanuel Macron have had limited direct contact in recent months, and a restoration of trust would require sustained, reciprocal gestures beyond symbolic visits. Analysts in Paris argue that France needs a coherent long-term strategy that balances security cooperation, migration management and historical reconciliation. That implies realistic expectations: a complete return to the closeness of past decades is unlikely in the short term, but targeted, mutually beneficial projects could stabilize relations. Darmanin's trip is therefore a test: can bilateral relations be managed pragmatically while broader strategic questions are debated in Paris? For now, both sides favor cautious engagement, but the next steps will determine whether the détente translates into durable cooperation—or whether old grievances will resurface.

On the day of the visit by French Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin to Algeria, the domestic debate in Paris about how to deal with the North African neighbor is intensifying. While President Emmanuel Macron’s government is betting on a cautious rapprochement, the National Rally (RN) is demanding a radical change of direction: abandoning diplomatic restraint for a policy of firmness accompanied by clear demands.

The trigger for the new controversy is the remarks of RN spokesperson Laurent Jacobelli, who harshly criticized France’s policy toward Algeria. “France has been practising a ‘diplomacy of inclination’ for years,” he said on public radio. According to him, Macron’s strategy has produced no tangible results. Each phase of rapprochement would ultimately have been followed by new diplomatic tensions.

A relationship marked by a heavy historical legacy

The relations between France and Algeria have for decades been among the most complex in France’s diplomatic landscape. the Algerian War from 1954 to 1962 continues to shape political and societal relations between the two countries. Issues of memory, migration, security cooperation and economic collaboration constantly overlap.

Under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron, attempts at historical reconciliation have been made on several occasions. Macron had already stated early on that colonialism was a “crime against humanity” – a declaration that was well received in Algeria, but which provoked strong criticism in some quarters in France. Nevertheless, his presidency has not managed to establish a stable basis for bilateral relations.

Tensions regularly flare up over issues such as visas, expulsions, security cooperation or historical remarks by French officials. There is also an internal dimension: several million people of Algerian origin live in France, so every crisis between Paris and Algiers finds an immediate societal echo.

The RN calls for a break with Macron’s line

Laurent Jacobelli took advantage of Darmanin’s visit to attack the government head-on. The RN accuses Macron of being too conciliatory toward President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. According to the right, France must defend its interests in a much more assertive manner.

At the heart of the demands are two main points: on the one hand, the RN calls for a more systematic repatriation of Algerian nationals convicted in France or who are to be expelled. On the other hand, the party demands increased pressure on Algiers in the case of French journalist Christophe Gleizes, who is currently detained in Algeria.

The RN deliberately ties these topics to the broader debate on migration. The party has long argued that France must use its diplomatic and economic levers more firmly to compel countries of origin to cooperate during removals. Algeria is seen as a particularly difficult partner, with readmission procedures regularly stalling or being politicized.

With its vocabulary of “Aplaventrisme” – essentially: submissiveness – the RN simultaneously seeks to portray Macron as a weak head of state who does not defend France’s interests vigorously enough. This strategy is in line with the party’s broader external stance, focused on national sovereignty and a show of toughness.

Darmanin’s delicate mission in Algiers

Officially, Gérald Darmanin’s trip aims to restore judicial cooperation between the two states. In recent months, diplomatic relations have deteriorated markedly. Several political controversies and mutual accusations have weighed heavily on cooperation.

Darmanin is now trying, at least at a technical level, to reopen channels of dialogue. The two countries are particularly dependent on each other when it comes to criminal prosecutions and legal cooperation. France needs Algeria’s cooperation, notably for extraditions and removals, while Algeria is interested in economic stability and security-related exchanges.

The minister’s mission is, however, politically very sensitive. On one hand, Paris cannot give the impression domestically of yielding to Algiers. On the other hand, a lasting deterioration of relations would be problematic for both states.

Because Algeria plays a strategic role for France: in energy, migration and security. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Algeria has moreover gained geopolitical weight as a gas supplier. Europe is increasingly seeking to diversify its energy partnerships in the Mediterranean.

French domestic politics harden the tone

The debate about Algeria is now part of the political power struggle within France. The RN instrumentalizes the issue to put pressure on the government on security and migration aspects. It encounters a societal climate where questions of national identity and state authority are increasingly debated in an emotional tone.

The government, for its part, is attempting a balancing act. Members of the majority warn against defining relations with Algeria solely by symbols of domestic politics. a lasting diplomatic rupture would endanger not only economic interests, but could also considerably complicate cooperation on migration issues and the fight against terrorism.

Even left-wing parties largely reject the RN’s calls for a confrontational policy. They believe that a historical awareness combined with pragmatic diplomacy is necessary to establish stable long-term relations.

However, impatience is growing even within the political center over France’s often-criticized difficult cooperation with Algeria. In particular regarding the repatriation of people facing expulsion, French authorities have complained for years about a lack of cooperation.

Between pragmatism and power politics

Gérald Darmanin’s visit illustrates how complex Franco-Algerian relations have become. Paris faces a strategic dilemma: a harder line might be popular domestically but carries significant diplomatic risks. A policy of dialogue, meanwhile, is increasingly interpreted by the opposition as a sign of weakness.

For its part, Algeria also instrumentalizes tensions for political purposes. President Tebboune readily presents himself as a defender of national sovereignty against the former colonizing country. Each confrontation with France therefore also has symbolic value for Algerian domestic politics.

It remains uncertain that Darmanin’s visit will actually lead to appeasement. It is more likely that a cautious stabilization of certain areas of cooperation will be achieved first. The underlying conflicts – migration, historical memory and questions of political influence – should, however, persist.

Thus, policy towards Algeria remains for France a sensitive field where external diplomacy, history and internal power struggles are inextricably linked.

P.T.