Ségolène Royal, President of the France-Algeria Friendship Association, described Pope Leo XIV’s speech from Algeria as a “historical lesson for France and for all those who repeat the claim that Algeria did not exist.” She expressed her hope that the Pope’s words would serve as an example for an “official French discourse before it is too late,” in a clear reference to previous provocative statements made in October 2021 by French President Emmanuel Macron and far-right politician Éric Zemmour, both of whom had questioned the existence of an Algerian nation prior to colonization.
Merci pour cette belle leçon d’histoire @Pontifex_it qui répond en vérité à ceux qui répètent que « avant la colonisation il n’y avait rien, l’Algérie n’existait pas ». Je me dis, comme présidente de l’association France-Algérie créée par Edmond Michelet et Germaine Tillon qui… https://t.co/0CNKIbYCxq
— Ségolène Royal (@RoyalSegolene) April 13, 2026
In a post on her Facebook account—reflecting an acute historical awareness of an ancient country with roots stretching back thousands of years—Royal emphasized that “Algeria is a great nation with a long, often painful history, which it has managed to transcend with courage and integrity through a greatness of spirit” that “remains present and alive today.”
Royal added that she would do everything in her power to achieve this vision, considering it a fundamental basis for a strong and creative reconciliation between the younger generations on both shores of the shared Mediterranean.
On the second day of the first-ever papal visit to Algeria, Pope Leo traveled this Tuesday to the province of Annaba. He visited the archaeological site of Hippo, following in the footsteps of Saint Augustine, the spiritual father of the Pontiff, in exceptional moments carrying profound dimensions on a land of coexistence and peace.
A heartwarming welcome in #Annaba! 🕊️🇩🇿
— Algeria Gate -English (@algatedzEng) April 14, 2026
See how the St. Augustine Home for the Elderly received Pope Leo XIV with joy and traditional hymns. A beautiful moment of unity.#PopeInAlgeria #Algeria #Vatican #Annaba #Hospitality pic.twitter.com/HwnSWzC26I
Following the visit to the ruins, Pope Leo proceeded to the St. Augustine Home for the Elderly, where residents celebrated his arrival to the melodies of the hymn “Alayka Minni Salam Ya Arda Ajdadi” (Peace be upon you, O land of my ancestors), sending a message of peace from Algeria to the entire world.
