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The Franco-Algerian Agreement of 1968 finds itself at the center of a lively controversy. While French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu pleads for a rapid renegotiation, diplomat and former minister Abdelaziz Rahabi recalls in a column published Thursday on his Facebook page that “if France persists in its instrumentalization, Algeria could abrogate the agreement itself”.
“The French Prime Minister wanted the renegotiation of the 1968 Agreement to restart as quickly as possible, describing it as obsolete in many respects,” said Mr. Rahabi.
“From a diplomatic point of view, this is a unilateral abrogation of the agreement by Paris. » Despite this declaration, Algiers has “no official request” to date, but remains ready to react if necessary.
Rahabi recalls that a similar episode took place in December 1979, when French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, nostalgic for French Algeria, considered the annual repatriation of 35,000 Algerian adults. “Our country was ready to welcome them, but only asked for one guarantee: the preservation of their dignity,” he underlines. The initiative was abandoned after Giscard’s defeat in 1981.
Today, the 1968 Agreement appears to be a weakened instrument. “It only brings minor benefits to Algerians,” says Rahabi, who specifies that “in many cases, common law offers better protections in terms of movement, employment and residence.”
According to the diplomat, the Agreement is today used by certain French political movements to “make Algerians the scapegoat for migratory tensions, insecurity and unemployment”. This phenomenon, which he describes as “institutionalized algerophobia”, fuels electoral debates and divides public opinion.
“If France persists in this instrumentalization, Algeria could decide to abrogate the Agreement itself,” warns the diplomat. A measure that would redefine bilateral relations and put an end to what he calls “the memorial rent of French politicians”.
For Rahabi, the issue goes beyond the simple legal framework, according to him, “it is a matter of national sovereignty, the protection of citizens abroad and the balance of bilateral relations. » The 2027 deadline could mark a turning point, and Algeria will then have to decide between tolerance and affirmation of its rights.
In this context, each decision by Paris will have direct repercussions on legal security and the rights of Algerian nationals, but also on political and diplomatic stability between the two countries. Rahabi insisted: “History repeats itself, and it is now up to Algeria to defend its interests with firmness and discernment.”
It should be remembered that, alongside Rahabi’s statements, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu clarified last Tuesday, during a session at the National Assembly, that his objective is not to repeal the 1968 Agreement but to renegotiate it “as quickly as possible”.
He mentioned the fact that the text had already been the subject of three renegotiations in the past and that the discussions should be part of a global approach taking into account not only the migration issue, but also security cooperation, particularly in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel, maritime security and economic issues. Lecornu also reaffirmed respect for Algeria’s sovereignty and underlined the importance of avoiding any exploitation of this issue in the French domestic political debate.
He insisted on “respect for the sovereignty of Algeria” and its government. “Whatever our disagreements, we must be able to lead a discussion that is demanding and protects our interests,” he said, promising to “never make the question of Algeria a subject of internal politics in France.”