Ongoing tensions between Algiers and Paris have been heightened by incidents such as the recent arrest of Algerian influencers in France for inciting violence and the detention of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in Algeria.
These events highlight the fragile state of bilateral relations, characterised by recurring cycles of rapprochement and crises.
In an appearance on LCI, the leader of the National Rally (RN) in the French National Assembly, Marine Le Pen, expressed her intention to adopt a stance similar to Donald Trump’s approach with Colombia regarding immigration policy.
“With Algeria, and all countries that refuse to take back their illegal migrants, I would do exactly what Donald Trump did with Colombia,” she stated, referencing recent retaliatory measures implemented by the U.S.
This declaration comes amid an ongoing debate in France regarding the readmission of irregular migrants.
Le Pen also criticised the economic and social situation in Algeria.
“Algeria has a people who are sacrificed, a youth with no future…” she claimed.
She insisted that France bore no responsibility for this situation, stating, “Unlike some, I will not give in to repentance.”
Known for her hardline stance on immigration, Le Pen had previously proposed suspending visas for Algerians in 2016 and linking visa issuance to the readmission of illegal migrants in 2022.
She also addressed French colonisation in Algeria, claiming, “Saying that colonisation was a tragedy for Algeria is not true”.
Le Pen went as far as asserting that France had left “economic and infrastructural capital” sufficient to make Algeria “the Norway of the Maghreb.”
In 2017, she had already stated that colonisation “contributed a lot” to Algeria, citing the construction of hospitals and roads.
These remarks are part of a political strategy aimed at appealing to an electorate sensitive to migration and historical tensions between the two countries.
By taking a page from Donald Trump’s playbook, Marine Le Pen seeks to establish a confrontational stance with Algeria, potentially further undermining the already complicated relations between France and Algeria.
SL/te/lb/as/APA