Algeria Suspends Ties with French Senate Over Gérard Larcher’s Visit to Western Sahara

Watan-The Algerian Council of the Nation, the upper house of parliament, announced the “immediate suspension” of its relations with the French Senate in protest against the visit of its president, Gérard Larcher, to Western Sahara, a disputed territory between Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.

In a statement, the Council of the Nation condemned the visit as “irresponsible, provocative, and theatrical,” declaring the “immediate suspension of its relations with the Senate of the French Republic, including the parliamentary cooperation protocol signed between the two councils in 2015.”

The statement described the visit as part of a “continuous and extremely dangerous deviation, reflecting the rise of the French far-right and its dominance over the French political scene and decision-making.” It added that the President of the French Senate had visited “the city of Laayoune in the occupied Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.”

Algeria Suspends Ties with French Senate Over Western Sahara Visit

Gérard Larcher’s visit was characterized as an “unacceptable and unsurprising action that disregards international legitimacy and is in stark contradiction with UN Security Council resolutions, of which France is a permanent member.”

The statement continued: “The Bureau of the Council of the Nation strongly condemns and denounces this visit, along with its justifications and objectives, rejecting it outright. It considers it a blatant challenge and a flagrant bias, aligning with colonial policies and Moroccan narratives that oppose international legitimacy and UN charters.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the President of the French Senate, Gérard Larcher, made an official visit to Laayoune, the largest city in Western Sahara, as part of his trip to Morocco, reaffirming Paris’ support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative as a solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara.

Local sources reported that Larcher was warmly received in Laayoune, where he held meetings with several officials, including the governor of the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region, Abdeslam Bekrate, and the regional council president, Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid. Discussions reportedly focused on major development projects in the region and ways to enhance Moroccan-French cooperation in various fields, particularly economic and cultural.

Larcher stated that “the present and future of the southern provinces can only be built and consolidated within the framework of Morocco’s sovereignty over its entire territory.” During his speech in Laayoune, he emphasized that France’s stance on the Sahara issue is a strategic choice adopted by the entire French state. He also announced France’s intention to strengthen its consular presence in the southern provinces, reflecting Paris’ commitment to deepening its ties with Morocco on a more substantial and sustainable basis.

During his meeting with his Moroccan counterpart, Mohamed Ould Errachid, President of the House of Councillors, the latter reaffirmed the strength and solidity of Moroccan-French parliamentary relations. He praised the role of parliamentary diplomacy in fostering mutual understanding and defending Morocco’s legitimate causes on the international stage. Addressing Larcher, Ould Errachid stated, “You are on Moroccan land, without a doubt.”

According to analysts, this visit marks a significant shift in France’s stance on the Sahara issue, particularly following President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco in July 2024, during which he reaffirmed his support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty.

Morocco welcomed the visit as explicit support for its national sovereignty and a boost to the strategic partnership between the two countries. However, the move sparked mixed regional reactions, with Algeria condemning it as a “diplomatic escalation.”

Beyond the political dimension, Larcher’s visit also had a cultural and educational aspect. He laid the foundation stone for a French school in Laayoune, aimed at providing high-quality education and fostering cultural exchange between the two nations. He also visited the French Cultural Association’s headquarters in the city, where he reiterated the importance of cultural cooperation as a cornerstone of bilateral relations.

France’s increased focus on cultural and educational presence in Laayoune aligns with the momentum generated by French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati’s earlier visit to the city. During her visit, she announced joint cultural projects designed to enhance dialogue and rapprochement between Moroccan and French societies. At the time, she emphasized that France recognizes the strategic importance of the southern provinces in Morocco’s cultural landscape, as reflected in the expansion of joint cultural initiatives.

Observers see Larcher’s visit as ushering in a new phase in Moroccan-French relations, highlighting the two countries’ determination to strengthen their strategic partnership across various fields. The visit is also viewed as a step toward further consolidating international recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and supporting Morocco’s efforts to resolve the regional dispute within the framework of the autonomy proposal.