Algeria Makes Its Voice Heard… President Tebboune’s Diplomacy Forces Paris to Acknowledge History Copy link

The Algeria News Portal : Boualem Sansaal returned to France just two weeks after publicly declaring he was leaving for good. He’d even been planning to ask for asylum in Belgium. Now, his recent statements show he’s reversed course on his original decision not to head to Brussels. Sansaal, a French writer, has stirred real tension between France and Algeria for years with his strong criticism of Algeria.

🛑"Jamais de la vie"
🛑 Boualem #Sansal, l'écrivain français 🇫🇷 annonce qu'il ne quittera finalement pas la #France. pic.twitter.com/8aAAEMXZOw

— بوابة الجزائر – Algeria Gate (@algatedz) May 9, 2026

He first shared his plans to leave France at the Montaigu Book Festival in Vendée, where he got emotional and blurted out, “No, absolutely not! It may never be possible in my lifetime!” The outburst came as he struggled to keep his feelings in check. Even as he calls himself French, Sansaal says people often greet him on the street with real warmth.

In an interview with the French channel LCI, Sansaal said, “France is over as far as I’m concerned. I’ve only got a few months left here, and then I’ll go.”

Algeria News portal:Ségolène Royal, president of the France–Algeria Association, expressed her approval of the diplomatic progress which Algeria achieved with her country through her assessment of Élysée Palace’s decision to restore the French ambassador to Algeria.

🛑رئيسة جمعية #الجزائر 🇩🇿 #فرنسا 🇫🇷 سيغولان رويال في تعليقها على عودة السفير الفرنسي لدى الجزائر ومشاركته رفقة الوزيرة المنتدبة لدى وزيرة الجيوش والمحاربين القدامى في الحكومة الفرنسية في مراسم إحياء ذكرى مجازر 8 ماي 1945 في الجزائر
🛑 سيغولان رويال : أرحب بأول خطوة أثمرت اليوم… pic.twitter.com/epjgMFIIPD

— بوابة الجزائر – Algeria Gate (@algatedz) May 8, 2026

Royal announced through her “X” platform account that she achieved this outcome through her previous work for the France–Algeria Association which established intelligence-based relations between the two nations.

Rappel de mes efforts au nom de l’association France-Algérie de liens renoués en bonne intelligence et sans rapport de force qui débouchent aujourd’hui sur un premier mouvement positif que je salue : la reconnaissance officielle du souvenir douloureux des massacres du 8 mai que… https://t.co/9Ihg4q8y0i

— Ségolène Royal (@RoyalSegolene) May 8, 2026

The French official regarded Élysée’s actions as official acknowledgment of the May 8 1945 massacre’s tragic historical events which Royal had requested multiple times including her recent trip to Algeria when she appeared on Algerian television. She believed that both nations would benefit from this answer to the request.

🚨Quelques heures après son retour en #Algérie 🇩🇿par ordre de l’Élysée, l’ambassadeur🇫🇷 #Stéphane_Romatet apparaît publiquement à #Sétif et participe aux commémorations des massacres du 8 mai 1945 avec une ministre française. pic.twitter.com/oLZU2Dfuui

— بوابة الجزائر – Algeria Gate (@algatedz) May 8, 2026

Royal warned that political entities should not use the name of African journalist Christophe Gleys who remains imprisoned in Algeria for terrorist glorification charges because this behavior goes against his true intentions and needs.

Royal believes that the only way to achieve his freedom depends on a presidential pardon which he requested together with his mother while she confirmed her written support for this initiative. She argued that any political use of this situation would produce negative outcomes because it would damage the sensitive work that has been conducted so far which she explained to Lauren.

Algeria News portal: French Ambassador to Algeria Stéphane Romatet, who had just been retuned to his post following a decision taken in the Élysée Palace grasps with Minister Delegate to the French government Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans, took part on video recently broadcast in Setif a city east of Algeria, commemorating the massacres perpetrated by colonial forces of France against Algerians in May 8th 1945s.

🛑 أول ظهور علني للسفير الفرنسي 🇫🇷 لدى #الجزائر🇩🇿 #ستيفان_روماتيه بمدينة سطيف (شرق الجزائر) ساعات عقب عودته لمنصبه بقرار من قصر الأليزيه
🛑السفير الفرنسي شارك رفقة وزيرة في الحكومة الفرنسية في مراسم إحياء ذكرى مجازر 8 ماي 1945 pic.twitter.com/c6Q0IYdHBg

— بوابة الجزائر – Algeria Gate (@algatedz) May 8, 2026

The presence of senior French officials—most notably the resumption of the French ambassador a year after his recall—during the commemoration of such an historic event that remains imprinted in the collective memory of Algerians is nothing short of proof positive to France’s recognition of its crimes against the people of Algeria.

The artwork also has a distinct political message, indicating that relations between the two countries are improving after the diplomatic crisis two years ago.