Latest news with #Algerian
El Chorouk
8 hours ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
How Did Paris Transform a Dead Draft Resolution Into a Message of Appeasement?
Less than a week before the Algiers Judicial Council issued its final decision in the case of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, the French side sent flirtatious messages to the Algerian authorities, in line with the appeasement language adopted by French President Emmanuel Macron, who avoided provocative positions. In a surprising move, the French National Assembly withdrew a draft resolution to abolish the 1968 immigration agreement between Algeria and France. The resolution was proposed by the parliamentary group of a small right-wing party led by Eric Ciotti, leader of Les Républicains (The Republicans), who was expelled from the party following his surprise alliance with the far-right, led by Marine Le Pen, in the recent legislative elections. The draft resolution was scheduled to be discussed last Thursday, but it was suddenly announced that it had been withdrawn under mysterious circumstances. This appeared to be a token of appeasement to the Algerian side, as the French feared an escalation that would not serve their interests in Algeria. Does this parliamentary action amount to a valid initiative to de-escalate tensions between the two countries? The parliamentary group that submitted the draft resolution has only 16 members and belongs to a fledgling party, the Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR), which is less than a year old, and was founded by Eric Ciotti after he was ousted last summer from the leadership of the right-wing Republicans party. The current Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, became its leader in May. This party is considered very close to the far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen and her assistant Jordan Bardella. It ranked third in the recent legislative elections, behind the left-wing movement, or the New National Front, which won a parliamentary majority, and Macron's Renaissance, which ranked second. This means that the gamble of Eric Ciotti's group, which pushed for this project, remains a losing one from the start, even if the far right supports it, given the level of representation in the lower house of parliament. The draft resolution claims that the 1968 agreement grants Algerians exceptional privileges, unlike other members of the Maghreb and African communities, in the areas of housing, residence, education, and the practice of liberal professions. The draft resolution states that 'it is time to adapt our legal arsenal regarding immigration to the development of our relationship with Algeria,' and calls for 'the restoration of the state's legal means to limit the granting of visas to Algerians, and to suspend them when necessary.' This draft was preceded by similar initiatives targeting the 1968 migration agreement between Algeria and France, but they failed due to a lack of the required votes. This indicates that the Eric Ciotti Group's draft resolution was not intended to overturn this long-standing agreement, but rather to pursue political and diplomatic objectives through its introduction and subsequent withdrawal. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously intervened on more than one occasion to confirm that he does not intend to unilaterally abrogate the 1968 agreement. He has clashed repeatedly with his Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, regarding the latter's continued interference in Algerian relations, asserting that this remains the exclusive prerogative of the Élysée Palace and the Quai d'Orsay (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). All this data indicates that the French lower house's continued progress on the draft resolution would have led nowhere, given the lack of chances of its passage. However, its withdrawal at the last minute transformed the initiative into a courtship of the Algerian side, adding to the recent rapprochement efforts between the two capitals following months of unprecedented escalation. The Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Living Abroad, Laurent Saint-Martin, took advantage of this situation to praise the MPs, considering the decision to send a calming message that would help reduce the tensions that characterise Algerian-French relations.
Morocco World
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Cocaine Case: Abdelmajid Tebboune's Son Faces Fresh Scrutiny
Rabat – Algeria is once again facing a major political storm after the surprise reopening of the El Bouchi cocaine case, a scandal involving over 700 kilograms of drugs and deep ties to the country's ruling elite. At the center of the revived trial is Khaled Tebboune, the son of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who was previously acquitted under suspicious circumstances. The move is being seen by many as a direct challenge to the president's authority and a sign of growing tensions within the Algerian regime itself. On June 15, Algerian authorities quietly reopened the case, though the opening of the trial was later postponed, Le Monde reported. Although the news went mostly unnoticed by mainstream media, it is being seen as a strategic move by rivals within the regime to weaken the president's grip on power. In 2018, police discovered 701 kilograms of cocaine hidden in containers of frozen meat at the Oran port. The drugs belonged to Kamel Chikhi, also known as 'El Bouchi,' a real estate developer turned drug trafficker. The case quickly became a national scandal. Tebboune's son was linked to the case and accused of serious crimes, including corruption, abuse of power, and receiving illegal gifts. But after Abdelmadjid Tebboune was elected president in December 2019, the case against his son seemed to disappear. The president's son received special treatment in prison, with reports describing his cell in El Harrach as a 'VIP suite.' He was acquitted in February 2020 under suspicious circumstances, in what critics described as a show trial meant to clear his name. The court dropped several charges, and the case was buried. Or so it seemed. Now, five years later, the reopening of the El Bouchi case is being seen as a direct challenge to President Tebboune. However, no new date has been set for the trial, and the lack of clarity has raised eyebrows Some believe that rival factions inside Algeria's leadership are using the case to put pressure on Tebboune, especially with rumors of internal power struggles. His presidency, which was once marketed as a fresh start after Bouteflika, has instead been marked by favoritism and political revenge. In April 2024, opposition figure Amir DZ, who lives in France, narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt by French authorities linked to Algerian intelligence. Soon after, a visa was denied to the lawyer of writer Boualem Sansal, reportedly due to Tebboune's grudge. These events paint a picture of a presidency that uses power to protect allies and punish critics. But the reopening of the El Bouchi trial may be starting to expose this reality. Tags: Abdelmajid TebbouneAlgerianCocaine
Ya Biladi
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Geneva meeting urges UN to grant «refugee status» to Sahrawis in Tindouf
On the sidelines of the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, held from June 16 to July 9, a meeting focused on the right of return for Sahrawis was held on June 25 in Geneva, organized by international advocacy groups. «The conference aimed to advocate for the right of return of Sahrawis held in the Tindouf camps in Algeria», Abdelouahab Gaïn, president of the Africa Watch Human Rights Association, told Yabiladi. «These camps are the scene of ongoing human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, rape, torture, and degrading treatment that undermines human dignity», said Gaïn, who took part in the meeting. Participants called on the international community to intervene and ensure the protection of those held in the Tindouf camps, in line with international human rights conventions and the resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council. Gaïn also noted that an appeal had been made to UN special rapporteurs on human rights to urge Algeria to conduct a census of the population in the camps. Mustapha Salma's Call from Mauritania The Africa Watch president also deplored the fact that residents of the Tindouf camps are still denied refugee status in accordance with the 1951 Geneva Convention and its 1967 Protocol. This status would allow displaced persons the option to return to their country of origin or settle in a host country. Gaïn emphasized that the camp population is also denied freedom of movement. Permits to leave the camps are issued sparingly by Algerian authorities and the Polisario Front. Thousands of kilometers away, Mustapha Salma—an outspoken critic of the Polisario leadership since his fallout with the group in 2010—echoed this concern on the occasion of World Refugee Day, marked each year on June 20. He recalled UN Security Council resolutions calling on Algeria to register Sahrawis living in the camps. «Refugee status is a contract between the host country and the asylum seeker, coordinated through the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)», he explained on social media. «Once the application is approved, the UNHCR assumes responsibility for the refugee, in coordination with the host country and its institutions». Salma warned that such a development is deeply feared by the Polisario. «Stripped of its authority over the Sahrawis in the Tindouf camps, the Polisario Front would no longer be able to freely recruit them or exploit them for its political agenda», said the exile, currently based in Mauritania.
The National
17 hours ago
- Sport
- The National
Rangers' Champions League rivals boost squad ahead of tie
Rangers meet the Greek side next month in a second qualifying round with the first leg at Ibrox and the return in Athens' Olympic Stadium. And Panathinaikos aren't hanging about in the transfer market after securing their third new capture this summer. Spanish star Chirivella spent four years at Liverpool after being spotted as a youngster in Valencia and was even handed his debut by current Hoops boss Rodgers in a Europa League game against Bordeaux ten years ago. Read more: However, he failed to make the breakthrough at Anfield and eventually spent five years at Nantes, where the 28-year-old captained the side before opting to move to Athens this summer. Panathinaikos have already forked out £3 million to land Greek international defender Georgios Kyriakopoulos from Monza and fellow stopper Ahmed Touba, with the Algerian international arriving from Turkish side Basaksehir.
The Herald Scotland
17 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Rangers' Champions League rivals boost squad ahead of tie
And Panathinaikos aren't hanging about in the transfer market after securing their third new capture this summer. Spanish star Chirivella spent four years at Liverpool after being spotted as a youngster in Valencia and was even handed his debut by current Hoops boss Rodgers in a Europa League game against Bordeaux ten years ago. Read more: However, he failed to make the breakthrough at Anfield and eventually spent five years at Nantes, where the 28-year-old captained the side before opting to move to Athens this summer. Panathinaikos have already forked out £3 million to land Greek international defender Georgios Kyriakopoulos from Monza and fellow stopper Ahmed Touba, with the Algerian international arriving from Turkish side Basaksehir.
