How did relations between Algeria and France get so bad?

This week, one of the world's experts on French Algerian history, Benjamin Stora, described relations between the two countries, as currently experiencing the 'worst crisis' since independence. Stora told AFP that ‘it will take painstaking work, including on historical grievances, to restore trust,’ citing the atrocities committed by both sides during the 1954-1962 Algerian war of independence, that have long strained relations – even half a century later. Stora said that the crisis has set in for a long duration as on both sides there are "people and organizations that have a vested interest in things not
always going very well".

In recent months however, there has been a significant spike in tensions ranging from diplomatic expulsions to deportations to suspected kidnappings as well as the case of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal.

Last month, French prosecutors indicted three Algerians, including a consular official, on suspicion of involvement in the kidnapping of Amir Boukhors, known online as "Amir DZ," who is a popular TikTok influencer with over a million followers, and a vocal critic of the Algerian government. The three Algerians, who were placed in pre-trial detention, are also being prosecuted for “terrorist” conspiracy. Algeria denounced the move as politically motivated and called for the immediate release of its consular officer. The French Foreign Ministry said the arrest was made "without notification through the diplomatic channels" and based "on the sole fact that the accused consular officer's mobile phone was allegedly located around the home" of Boukhors.

In early March, the situation worsened after a knife attack by an Algerian in eastern France injured three police officers and cost the life of a passerby, French authorities had tried to deport back this person back to his country 14 times.

Last year ties soured even further when Algeria arrested French Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in November on national security charges; he has subsequently been sentenced to five years for allegedly undermining Algeria's territorial unity.

The nature of the crisis between Algeria and France seems to have much deeper roots: in January 2021Stora presented a report to French President Macron describing a "never-ending memory war" between the former colonial power and colony. He proposed the creation of a mixed French Algerian "memory and truth commission" that would hear testimony from all sides and drive efforts at reconciliation. Macron however has always stopped short of issuing any formal apology to the events of the past, a move that would anger the right as well as the far-right, across France, whose views have been emboldened lately by hardline Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau taking aim at Algeria in his successful bid for the leadership of his right-wing party.

With France and Algeria seemingly unable to initiate constructive dialogue over their bilateral ties, it is unlikely that they will be able to manage a positive turnaround in the short term.  Algeria’s fear of growing international isolation, coupled with growing internal tensions in French domestic politics, risk aggravating misunderstandings between the two countries. If left unchecked, these disputes could push France and Algeria toward a rupture reminiscent of Paris’s diplomatic breaks with its former allies in the Sahel.

*Kieran Baker is an Emmy award winning journalist who has started up various networks including Al Jazeera English, Bloomberg TV Africa and TRT World.