This diplomatic standoff began when a staff member at the Algerian consulate in France was detained as part of a criminal investigation. In response, Algeria expelled 12 French diplomatic personnel. France then carried out a reciprocal expulsion, mirroring Algeria’s move.
Origin of the Crisis
The crisis is rooted in the April 2024 abduction of Algerian opposition figure and social media influencer Amir Boukhors, known online as “Amir DZ.” Boukhors, who had been living in France and received political asylum in 2023, was reportedly abducted outside his home in the Val-de-Marne area by four individuals posing as police officers. He later stated that he was taken to a container, held for about 27 hours, and then released.
On April 11, 2025, French prosecutors arrested three Algerian nationals in connection with the abduction, one of whom was an official at the Algerian consulate in Créteil. France’s national counterterrorism prosecutor charged them with kidnapping, unlawful detention, and links to terrorist activity.
Algeria’s Reaction
Algeria condemned the arrest of its consular official, calling it a violation of diplomatic norms. On April 13, it summoned the French ambassador to the Foreign Ministry and issued a formal protest. On April 14, Algeria ordered 12 French diplomatic personnel to leave the country within 48 hours.
Algeria’s Foreign Ministry stated that the detained consular official’s diplomatic immunity had been ignored and that the arrest had been carried out without prior notice through diplomatic channels. It attributed responsibility for the incident to France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, citing his stance as a contributing factor to the deterioration in bilateral relations.
France’s Response
France responded on April 15, 2025, by expelling 12 Algerian diplomatic staff and recalling its ambassador from Algiers. The French Presidency described Algeria’s decision as unjustified and harmful to bilateral cooperation. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot emphasized that the arrests were part of an independent judicial process and unrelated to government-to-government relations.
Barrot warned that if Algeria maintained its position, France would continue to respond accordingly. He also confirmed that the diplomatic dialogue initiated between the two countries had been disrupted.
Algeria’s Position and Political Reactions
Algeria framed its expulsion decision as an exercise of sovereign rights. It reiterated that the detention of the consular official was illegitimate and that the expulsion of the French diplomats would not be reversed. Algeria also revived complaints that French authorities had previously deported Algerian nationals who were denied reentry into Algeria.
In France, political reactions varied. Some parties in the National Assembly criticized the government’s handling of the situation. Others issued differing interpretations of the expulsion measures. The French government, meanwhile, maintained that its actions were consistent with the rule of law and that responses had been made within diplomatic frameworks.
