Tit-for-Tat: France expels 12 Algerian diplomatic staff

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, France announced it would expel 12 Algerian diplomatic and consular staff in a reciprocal move, following Algeria’s decision to expel 12 French embassy employees.

In an official statement, the French presidency confirmed that Paris would also recall its ambassador to Algeria for consultations. Algerian authorities’ decision was described as “unjustified and incomprehensible,” with French officials expressing concern that it disregarded “fundamental judicial procedures.”

Despite the diplomatic standoff, Paris emphasized the importance of re-establishing dialogue, noting that restoring communication remains “in the interest of both France and Algeria.”

Earlier this week, the Algerian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the 12 expelled French staff members, affiliated with France’s Interior Ministry, had been declared persona non grata and were instructed to leave Algerian territory within 48 hours.

The Ministry linked this measure to the April 8 arrest of an accredited Algerian consular employee in France. The incident, which occurred in public, was characterized as “sensationalist and defamatory,” and viewed as a violation of diplomatic protocol.