Sansal, a well-known critic of Algerian authorities, was arrested in November 2024, sentenced to five years in March 2025, and pardoned Wednesday, easing Algiers-Paris tensions
PARIS
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Thursday that he was likely to visit Algeria soon, signalling a thaw in relations between the two nations. The announcement followed Algeria’s release of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who had been jailed for undermining national unity.
Sansal, a prominent critic of Algerian authorities, was arrested in November 2024 and sentenced in March 2025 to five years in prison. His pardon on Wednesday by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune eased months of diplomatic tension between Algiers and Paris.
Speaking to France’s BFM TV, Nunez described Sansal’s release as “a glimmer of hope” and said President Emmanuel Macron had personally thanked Tebboune during a phone call. He added that France aimed to restart “a demanding but necessary dialogue” focused on security and cooperation.
Relations between the two countries had sharply deteriorated after France recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, a move Algeria opposed. The situation worsened after Sansal’s arrest and other disputes over migration and repatriation.
Tensions peaked earlier this year when an Algerian national—whom France had unsuccessfully sought to deport—was accused of carrying out a deadly knife attack in Mulhouse. The incident led French officials to reconsider migration and visa policies toward Algeria.
Nunez said his upcoming visit would aim to reopen communication channels and address key issues, including security coordination and migration. “The tug-of-war strategy does not work,” he said. “We need dialogue, not deadlock.”
Observers see Sansal’s release and the possible ministerial visit as the first positive signs of improving ties between France and its former colony.