PARIS – Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has delivered a scathing critique of the French government and its handling of major diplomatic issues, particularly its relations with Algeria.
He denounced the provocations of Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, accusing him of “disrespecting” the deep historical and cultural ties between the two nations.
“What pains me every day is the way major diplomatic issues are being addressed today by French politicians, reduced to a few sentences on Twitter,” de Villepin stated in an interview with Médiapart, shared on the French media outlet’s YouTube account.
Referring to Retailleau’s comments about scrapping the 1968 agreement with Algeria, de Villepin questioned, “When we have the history we share with Algeria, can we reduce it to a phrase like that? What does that even mean? Is this diplomacy? Is this how we approach a country with which we are united by culture, history, geography, and people?”
De Villepin’s strong defense of Algeria adds to the growing criticism in France of a recent disinformation campaign against Algeria, primarily driven by far-right groups. Last week, Mathilde Panot, a French MP from the leftist “La France Insoumise” (LFI) party, condemned the Interior Minister’s provocations, labeling him a “poor agitator.” Similarly, other public figures, including former Minister Ségolène Royal and the director of Regards magazine, Catherine Tricot, have called for France to adopt a more respectful and balanced approach to its relations with Algeria, highlighting the “moral debt” linked to the crimes of colonization.
