EXPLAINING THE ALGERIAN–FRENCH CRISIS (2019-2025): FROM COLONIAL MEMORY TO STRATEGIC DIVERGENCE
EXPLAINING THE ALGERIAN–FRENCH CRISIS (2019-2025): FROM COLONIAL MEMORY TO STRATEGIC DIVERGENCE

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the persistent deterioration of Algerian-French relations between 2019 and 2025, arguing that the crisis stems from the interplay between unresolved colonial legacies and structurally divergent strategic imperatives. Rather than a sequence of isolated diplomatic disputes, the rupture is interpreted as a structural phenomenon embedded in long-standing historical grievances, asymmetrical power perceptions, and shifting regional dynamics. France’s oscillating posture toward its colonial past – marked by selective symbolic overtures without comprehensive reconciliation – has perpetuated mistrust and hindered the normalization of bilateral ties. In parallel, Algeria’s post-Hirak political trajectory has reinforced a doctrine of sovereignty preservation, accompanied by a deliberate diversification of external partnerships to reduce reliance on traditional interlocutors. Strategic incompatibilities have been further magnified in the Maghreb-Sahel security sphere, where France’s preference for force projection contrasts sharply with Algeria’s advocacy for political dialogue and regionally owned security mechanisms. Analytically, the study applies a dual theoretical lens: it uses postcolonial theory to elucidate the symbolic and identity-based undercurrents of the crisis and provides a neoclassical realism reading of the events to account for how domestic political constraints, leadership perceptions, and systemic shifts converge in shaping foreign policy choices. The findings indicate a gradual transformation of the bilateral relationship from symbolic estrangement to strategic disengagement, reflecting a broader regional reconfiguration toward multipolarity, with Algeria emerging as an increasingly autonomous regional actor and France confronting its diminishing leverage in the region.

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