Ongoing Algeria–France tensions over the recovery of alleged looted Algerian funds, involving judicial cooperation efforts, accusations of French obstruction, and differing political and legal interpretations of asset recovery amid broader disputes over trust, sovereignty, and bilateral relations.

The 2026 Reporters Without Borders report shows that global press freedom has fallen to a 25-year low, with the Maghreb region among those most affected by growing political, legal, and economic restrictions on journalism.

Under the pretext of “fixing constitutional gaps,” Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has overseen a sweeping expansion of presidential powers, backed by a parliamentary majority that has tightened his grip over key political and judicial institutions.

Algeria and Libya gain from rising oil and gas prices, but Algeria’s benefits are more stable while Libya’s remain fragile.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez’s visit to Algiers and the agreement it produced signal a tentative reset in Franco-Algerian ties, pointing to a transitional phase aimed at containing a crisis that has lingered since the summer of 2024.