France-Algeria Diplomatic Rift Puts Grand Mosque of Paris Under Scrutiny
Tensions rise as the Grand Mosque of Paris faces criticism over its ties to Algeria, halal certification allegations, and its stance on immigration and antisemitism.
Watan-The local newspaper Sud-Ouest reported that the diplomatic dispute between France and Algeria has put the Grand Mosque of Paris in an uncomfortable position, as it faces criticism over its relationship with Algeria.
The Grand Mosque of Paris is set to host its fourth “Ambassadors’ Iftar” this Tuesday, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot expected to attend the meal. However, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau will not be among the attendees, unlike former Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, who had participated since 2022.
Challenges During Ramadan
The newspaper added that the mosque is facing additional challenges, particularly during Ramadan, a period when around 80 Algerian imams reciters are usually sent to temporarily support the religious staff. This year, however, none have arrived. Government sources explained that “the consulate has not received any visa applications from Algeria.” The rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Chems-Eddine Hafiz, acknowledged the difficulties, stating: “The situation is complicated,” according to the French newspaper.
Accusations and Counter-Accusations
The newspaper highlighted an accusation from January against the administration of the Grand Mosque of Paris, alleging that it had established a highly profitable monopoly system for halal certification in coordination with Algerian authorities to facilitate the export of European products to Algeria.
In response, the mosque’s rector, Chems-Eddine Hafiz, dismissed the allegations as “completely false slanders” and defended the mosque’s role, saying: “The Grand Mosque of Paris has never hidden the relationship between Algeria and France. We are a positive bridge between the two countries. This is not a matter of influence or anything else.”
The French newspaper also noted that the Grand Mosque of Paris, which was inaugurated in 1926, has received annual funding from the Algerian government since the early 1980s, amounting to approximately two million euros.
Under Scrutiny
The mosque faced criticism after its rector refused to participate in the march against antisemitism organized on November 12, 2023, due to his refusal to walk alongside leaders of the far-right National Rally party. Hafiz described this as a “turning point” in his political stance, stating: “In the past, I was the Muslim that everyone sought to engage with at any cost. Then suddenly, I became the worst antisemite.”
The French newspaper quoted Franck Frégosi, author of Governing Islam in France, who noted that “the Grand Mosque of Paris has so far been viewed as the loyal soldier of the Republic, the ideal model of republican Islam.”
It had been considered the preferred interlocutor for French authorities, particularly after the decline of the French Council of the Muslim Faith in 2021, which had been the official representative body of Islam in France since 2003.
In 2022, between the two rounds of the presidential election, Hafiz organized a “Republican Iftar” in support of Emmanuel Macron’s re-election, attended by former Interior Minister Christophe Castaner.
Frégosi also pointed out that “the Grand Mosque of Paris feels targeted by a ministry that was previously lenient towards it.” He believes that the current Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, is seeking to enforce a stricter approach to regulating Islam in France, attempting to present himself as “the one who achieved what others did not dare to do.”
Diplomatic Crisis and Immigration
The French newspaper continued, noting that the current diplomatic crisis between Paris and Algiers erupted after France recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara at the end of July 2024. Tensions escalated further with the arrest of writer Boualem Sansal—who holds dual French-Algerian citizenship—in Algeria on November 16, 2024.
In this context, Hafiz faced criticism for not calling for Sansal’s release. A source familiar with the case told the French newspaper: “We can no longer look at the Grand Mosque of Paris with the same leniency after the Sansal case. The institution is caught in its contradictions.”
The crisis also has an immigration-related aspect, the newspaper explained, referring to Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau’s threat last Saturday to resign if Paris backtracks on deporting Algerians residing illegally in France.
For his part, Hafiz wrote a political article earlier in March criticizing “fear-mongers” in political and media circles who fuel the “perpetual trial” against Algerian immigration.
