Algeria orders expulsion of French embassy staff over protocol violations

Algeria has summoned the French chargé d’affaires and ordered the immediate expulsion of several French embassy employees over what it described as “serious breaches” of diplomatic protocol.

The diplomatic fallout comes after Algerian authorities identified at least 15 French employees who had been assigned to missions in Algeria without completing mandatory accreditation procedures. The individuals, some of whom were reportedly issued diplomatic passports after initially entering the country with service passports, were deemed to have violated international norms and bilateral agreements, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Among those flagged were two officials from France’s Interior Ministry, allegedly sent to replace the 12 French diplomats expelled by Algeria in April after being declared personae non gratae. That expulsion followed the controversial detention of an Algerian consular officer in France, prompting reciprocal diplomatic action by Paris.

Algeria condemned the latest appointments, calling them “irregular” and demanding the immediate removal of all personnel involved. Authorities cited ongoing strains in Algerian-French relations, including France’s repeated denial of entry to Algerian diplomatic passport holders and long delays in accrediting Algerian consuls-general assigned to key cities such as Paris and Marseille.

This marks the second wave of French diplomatic expulsions from Algeria in less than a month, underscoring the deepening rift between the two countries. Tensions have escalated in recent months over immigration policy, colonial-era grievances, and France’s support for Morocco in the Western Sahara conflict.

By Sabina Mammadli