France to Expel Algerian Diplomats in Retaliation for Staff Ousting

France has announced it will expel Algerian diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to Algeria’s earlier decision to remove several French diplomatic staff. The move marks a further deterioration in relations between the two countries, already strained over issues ranging from Western Sahara policy to the arrest of a high-profile writer.

On Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed that France had summoned Algeria’s chargé d’affaires in Paris to formally protest what it described as an “unjustified” expulsion of French diplomats.

"Our response is immediate, firm, and proportionate at this stage," Barrot told BFM TV. “Diplomatic passport holders without valid visas will be returned to Algeria.”

According to a French diplomatic source, those being expelled are temporary support staff, though the exact number and the timeline of their departure have not been disclosed.

The diplomatic dispute stems from Algeria’s April decision to declare twelve French interior ministry employees *persona non grata*, giving them just 48 hours to leave the country. The expulsion was reportedly in retaliation for the arrest and detention of an Algerian consular staff member in Paris.

France had previously responded by expelling twelve Algerian consular officials and recalling its ambassador to Algiers, Stéphane Romatet, for consultations.

Tensions between the two nations have escalated over the past year. In 2023, France officially recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara—a move strongly opposed by Algeria, which backs the pro-independence Polisario Front.

Relations worsened further in November when Algerian authorities detained French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal on national security charges, sparking condemnation in literary and diplomatic circles.

With mutual expulsions now underway, analysts warn that diplomatic dialogue is at risk of further breakdown unless both sides seek de-escalation.