The diplomatic crisis between France and Algeria has again erupted, after just 15 days of lullaby: French President Emmanuel Macron today decided to deport twelve Algerian consular employees, in response to a similar measure taken by Algiers.

Macron, who had spoken by phone on March 31 with his Algerian counterpart Abdelmatzidn in order to resume the dialogue between them, also decided to recall the French ambassador to Algeri, Stefan Roma.

On Sunday, the Algerian authorities described 12 employees of the French Interior Ministry as “unwanted persons” and gave them a 48 -hour deadline to leave the country. It was preceded by the arrest of a consulate in Algeria in France.

Initially, Macron tried to save time, but seeing that Algiers did not recall his decision, he considered that he had to show that he was not receding either. The expulsion of the 12 French, who are on the way to France tonight, “is unjustified and incomprehensible,” the French presidency commented.

Paris thus proceeded with a “symmetrical” countermeasures, giving a 48 -hour deadline to 12 Algerian consular employees to leave the country. French Interior Minister Bruno Retaey told the CNEWS television channel that he considers the decision “absolutely appropriate”.

The French Presidency believes that “the Algerian authorities are responsible for the violent deterioration of bilateral relations”. For Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Baro, who had visited Algiers earlier this month, Algeria “chose escalation”.

Algeria, for its part, defended its decision Monday and denied “full responsibility” to the Retaegio, a minister from the Right who has been promoting a hard line against the country in recent months, especially in migration.

“Bruno Retaiyo has nothing to do with this court case,” Baros assured, stressing the independence of French justice.

Last Friday, three men, including an employee of a consulate in Algeria in France, were detained on accusations of abduction and arbitrary detention. The case concerns the Algerian Influencer, Amir Bouhors, also known as the nickname Amir DZ, who had been abducted and then released in France in 2024.

Despite the sudden deterioration of relations, Paris still believes that it is in the interest of both countries to resume the dialogue and called on Algiers to “show responsibility”.

The crisis had begun eight months earlier, when Macron expressed his full support in a plan of autonomy of Western Sahara under Morocco’s rule. This area has been claimed for 50 years by the Polissario front, which seeks to create an independent state, with the support of Algeria. At that time, Algeria had immediately recalled its ambassador from Paris.

The presidents of the two countries then commissioned the foreign ministers to resume the dialogue on all “thorny” issues, such as the immigration and arrest of French -Algerian writer Baalem Sansal by the Algerian authorities.

Baro insisted today that “court cases have nothing to do with the relations between the two governments”.