Political circles in France reiterate their call for the abolition of the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreement on immigration which grants privileges to Algerians compared to other nationalities. Unjustified preferential treatment.
The Republicans party has called for the abolition of this treaty signed 55 years ago and which facilitates the entry and stay of Algerian nationals in France, thus allowing them and their families to settle in France easily, allows them to obtain a residence permit even if you are in an irregular situation…
This measure is neither fair compared to other nationalities which are subject to common law, nor in line with current realities.
As a reminder, this agreement between France was signed shortly after the independence of Algeria and the Algerian regime is keen to maintain this Treaty, even if France does not gain anything in return.
This regime of favoritism has made Algerians currently the most present foreign population on French soil totaling 12.7% of foreigners living in France and this does not concern naturalized Algerians who should cause this percentage to skyrocket.
In total, there are nearly a million Algerian nationals living in France, representing in detail 887,100 people according to 2021 data from INSEE.
Following the multiple crises induced by Algeria with France in recent years and the forcing of Emmanuel Macron to restore relations despite the warnings of connoisseurs of Algeria, a large part of the French political class is now calling for the end of this senseless preferential treatment granted to this country.
The former French ambassador to Algeria, Xavier Driencourt, from 2008 to 2912, then from 2017 to 2020, and a fine connoisseur of the country, called for the elimination of this preferential regime in a note last May after explaining that France was moving towards an impasse in trying to appease the regime in Algiers.
Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe also called for the abolition of this agreement and the Republicans took up the case by drafting a resolution calling for the revocation of the agreement officially tabled on June 26 by Senator Bruno Retailleau. , chairman of the party group in the Senate.
The senator explains that this immigration treaty concluded with Algeria was a “legal exception” to French law and that the removal of this agreement will “stop mass immigration” from Algeria.
He recalls to this effect that in 2022, Algeria continued to benefit from this agreement, and was the second country in terms of residence permits granted and the third in terms of visas issued.