Relations between Algeria and France have rarely known true calm. Despite being linked by history, language, and a large Algerian diaspora living in France, the relationship remains plagued by suspicion, resentment, and a series of unresolved historical and geopolitical disputes.
The latest diplomatic fallout, triggered by the April 2024 arrest of an Algerian consular official in France for his alleged involvement in the attempted kidnapping of Algerian dissident Amir Boukhors, also known online as Amir DZ has once again thrown the fragile ties between Paris and Algiers into crisis.
France’s decision to arrest the official without prior diplomatic communication has been met with fury in Algiers. Algeria retaliated by expelling 12 French consular staff, prompting a tit-for-tat response from Paris. France has labelled Algeria’s reaction as “incomprehensible and unjustified,” while Algiers has accused France of deliberately humiliating it.
To understand why such incidents escalate so rapidly, one must look at the bitter history and present-day tensions that continue to define this complex relationship.
The Boukhors Affair, A Spark to the Powder Keg
The arrest of Amir Boukhors, a prominent critic of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune with over a million TikTok followers, has shocked many, not because he was targeted, but because of the alleged method. Boukhors claims he was forcibly abducted near his Paris home, drugged, and detained in a container for over 27 hours, before being mysteriously released.
French counterespionage authorities arrested three men linked to the case. One was confirmed to be an Algerian consular official, prompting widespread anger in Algeria, which denied involvement and claimed France had breached diplomatic norms by not informing Algiers through proper channels.
Algeria maintains that Boukhors is a fraudster and “terrorist” it has sought to extradite since 2016, unsuccessfully, as France granted him political asylum in 2023.
To the Algerian regime, his protected status in France is not only an affront but a reflection of France’s willingness to harbor anti-government voices.
A History That Refuses to Fade
The heart of the Franco-Algerian rift lies in 132 years of brutal colonization, which ended only after Algeria fought one of the bloodiest wars of the 20th century. More than a million Algerians are estimated to have died during the struggle for independence, earning Algeria the moniker “the country of a million martyrs.”
France’s refusal for decades to acknowledge the atrocities committed during colonization has left deep scars.
Even when former French President Emmanuel Macron referred to colonization as a “crime against humanity” in 2017, meaningful reparative steps have largely been absent. France continues to face pressure to return colonial archives and remains of Algerian freedom fighters held in museums.
Post-independence, these historical wounds were compounded by fresh issues: immigration, social integration of Algerians in France, discrimination, and conflicting foreign policy interests.
The Western Sahara Factor
In recent years, another geopolitical powder keg has worsened matters, Western Sahara.
Morocco claims sovereignty over the disputed territory, but Algeria backs the Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the Sahrawi people. Algeria has housed tens of thousands of Sahrawi refugees and vocally opposed international support for Morocco’s claim.
France has historically backed Morocco, its own former colony, in the Western Sahara dispute. But in 2023, Macron’s open endorsement of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory infuriated Algiers and led to yet another diplomatic freeze, with Algeria recalling its ambassador. Though relations appeared to be thawing earlier in 2024, the Boukhors incident shattered any hope of long-term reconciliation.
A Historical Precedent: The 2021 Visa Row
This isn’t the first time modern disputes have derailed diplomatic ties. In 2021, France drastically cut the number of visas granted to Algerians, citing Algiers’ unwillingness to accept deported nationals. Algeria reacted angrily, recalling its ambassador and suspending military cooperation.
That diplomatic freeze lasted months and was emblematic of how quickly relations between the two countries can deteriorate. often over national pride, perceived disrespect, or unresolved legacies of empire.
Under The Lens
For France, Algeria is not just a former colony, it is home to millions of French citizens of Algerian origin and plays a key role in managing migration, energy flows (particularly after the Ukraine war), and security in North Africa. For Algeria, France is both a powerful international player and a former oppressor whose recognition and respect it continues to seek while also resenting its lingering influence.
Each crisis, be it visa restrictions, support for Morocco, or a consular kidnapping scandal, reopens old wounds. And as long as history remains unaddressed and political trust remains absent, these wounds will fester.
The Last Bit, A Relationship Trapped in Time
The Franco-Algerian relationship is emblematic of what happens when history is neither reconciled nor truly acknowledged. While both countries speak of cooperation, their every step is shadowed by the colonial past, and every disagreement quickly escalates into a broader identity conflict.
The Boukhors affair is not just about one dissident or one arrest but about two nations still trying to define how they move forward while carrying the weight of an unresolved past. Without genuine reconciliation, honest dialogue, and mutual respect for sovereignty and legal norms, the curtain between France and Algeria will keep rising, only to fall again with the next crisis.
