Algeria withdrew all privileged access cards granted to the French Embassy at its ports and airports on Saturday. This move was a direct response to what Algiers describes as restrictions imposed on its diplomats in France.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry announced it had “reclaimed all privileged access cards” previously given to the French Embassy in Algiers. Earlier that day, the ministry summoned the French chargé d’affaires for the second time over diplomatic tensions.
Algeria accused France of a “blatant violation of international obligations” by obstructing the delivery and reception of diplomatic pouches. The obstructions began targeting the Algerian Embassy in Paris but have now spread to Algeria’s consular centers across France.
This escalation occurred despite prior French assurances to review the restrictive measures affecting Algerian diplomats. The dispute marks the deepest diplomatic rift between Algeria and France since Algeria gained independence in 1962.
Relations have steadily deteriorated after both countries downgraded their diplomatic ties to chargé d’affaires level in July 2024. This downgrade followed Paris’s formal endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, which Algeria vehemently opposes.
The latest tit-for-tat move signals growing hostility, further complicating already fragile Franco-Algerian relations. Observers warn this diplomatic freeze could have lasting effects on regional cooperation and bilateral dialogue.
The tension exposes wounds from colonial history and modern geopolitical disagreements, fueling mistrust on both sides. As Algeria tightens access for French diplomats, hopes for swift reconciliation appear increasingly distant.
