France’s new Interior Minister Laurent Núñez told BFM TV on 13 November that he is ‘very likely’ to travel to Algeria in the coming weeks, signalling a thaw in bilateral relations after months of acrimony over deportations and visa quotas. The breakthrough follows Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s pardon of dual-national writer Boualem Sansal, whose imprisonment for ‘undermining national unity’ had become a diplomatic sticking point.
Tensions peaked earlier this year when an Algerian national wanted for removal from France fatally stabbed a bystander in Mulhouse. Núñez’s predecessor responded by slashing consular-visa issuance and threatening economic retaliation unless Algiers accepted more returnees.
![Paris seeks migration reset as French interior minister plans visit to Algiers]()
In his televised remarks, Núñez said the punitive strategy “didn’t work” and that France now seeks a “demanding but constructive dialogue” covering both security and migration. He added that President Emmanuel Macron personally thanked Tebboune during a 12 November phone call.
A ministerial visit could pave the way for a refreshed readmission agreement and more predictable issuance of laissez-passer documents—critical paperwork for enforcing removal orders. French business groups with operations in North Africa welcomed the tone shift, noting that smoother consular cooperation often translates into faster business-visa processing for executives.
Analysts caution, however, that Algeria still opposes France’s stance on Western Sahara and remains wary of being seen as Europe’s ‘gendarme’. Concrete progress will be measured by deportation statistics—and by whether France reinstates suspended family-reunion visas in the first quarter of 2026.
Tensions peaked earlier this year when an Algerian national wanted for removal from France fatally stabbed a bystander in Mulhouse. Núñez’s predecessor responded by slashing consular-visa issuance and threatening economic retaliation unless Algiers accepted more returnees.
In his televised remarks, Núñez said the punitive strategy “didn’t work” and that France now seeks a “demanding but constructive dialogue” covering both security and migration. He added that President Emmanuel Macron personally thanked Tebboune during a 12 November phone call.
A ministerial visit could pave the way for a refreshed readmission agreement and more predictable issuance of laissez-passer documents—critical paperwork for enforcing removal orders. French business groups with operations in North Africa welcomed the tone shift, noting that smoother consular cooperation often translates into faster business-visa processing for executives.
Analysts caution, however, that Algeria still opposes France’s stance on Western Sahara and remains wary of being seen as Europe’s ‘gendarme’. Concrete progress will be measured by deportation statistics—and by whether France reinstates suspended family-reunion visas in the first quarter of 2026.
