France does not want "war with Algeria" but the North African nation is "aggressing" France by refusing to accept deportees, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on Wednesday.
"We are not bellicose, we do not want war with Algeria. It is Algeria that is aggressing us," Retailleau told Sud Radio.
The minister's comments mark a significant escalation in rhetoric, coming just two days after France suspended a visa exemption agreement for Algerian diplomatic passport holders.
Retailleau described the visa suspension as the first step in what he called a "graduated response" to Algeria's position, warning that further actions could follow.
"We have begun implementing it with the suspension of facilities for the Algerian nomenklatura [political elite]," the minister said.
The diplomatic row intensified on Monday when Algeria firmly rejected a list of deportable citizens provided by Paris, stating its "categorical rejection of threats, attempts at intimidation, injunctions and ultimatums" from France.
"The graduated response allows us to say 'we are not the aggressor'," Retailleau said.
The French minister accused Algiers of obstructing repatriation efforts, saying: "Algeria must not haggle when we have proof, with an identity document and a passport, that the person is Algerian. They must be readmitted."
France threatens to suspend visa perks for Algerian diplomats amid deportation dispute
Threat to historic agreement
The dispute follows a warning issued in late February by Prime Minister François Bayrou, who threatened to "denounce" a 1968 accord that grants Algerians special status in France regarding movement, residency and employment.
Bayrou set a six-week deadline for Algeria to begin accepting its citizens facing expulsion from France or face termination of the agreement that dates back to France's colonial relationship with Algeria.
However, President Emmanuel Macron appeared to adopt a more conciliatory approach in early March, stating he was "favourable, not to denouncing, but to renegotiating" the historic accord.
When questioned about reports he might resign if the government abandoned a tough stance toward Algeria, Retailleau responded that "obviously" if he "encountered an obstacle that could jeopardise the security of our compatriots, then I would have to question myself".
With Franco-Algerian relations at an all-time low, can they get back on track?
Deteriorating relations
Relations between France and its former colony have been worsening for months, particularly following Macron's recognition in July last year of Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara – a territory the United Nations still considers to have an undefined status.
Algeria, which supports the independence of the disputed territory, viewed the move as a betrayal.
The dispute over deportations marks the latest chapter in the increasingly strained relationship between the two North African neighbours, with no clear sign whether diplomatic negotiations can de-escalate the situation or if further retaliatory measures will follow.
