French Retirement Crackdown on Algerians: A Targeted Campaign Masquerading as Reform

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Tens of Thousands of Algerian Pensioners Face Arbitrary Suspensions Amid Escalating French Hostility

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Algiers, Algeria | May 31st, 2025 — In a troubling move that has sent shockwaves through the Algerian diaspora, France has launched a sweeping campaign to “verify the existence” of tens of thousands of Algerian pensioners, putting their livelihoods—and dignity—under threat. According to a damning report by the French Court of Auditors, some 50,000 Algerian retirees are to be summoned in 2025, with that number rising to 60,000 per year from 2026. This relentless campaign, cloaked in the guise of combating fraud, disproportionately targets Algerian pensioners and exposes France’s mounting discriminatory stance within a broader context of deteriorating Algerian-French relations.

 

These verifications are part of a supposed overhaul aimed at curbing “abuses” in pensions paid to individuals residing outside French territory. Yet, the application of these measures reveals a disturbing asymmetry: only 8,000 Moroccan, 2,000 Tunisian, and a mere 800 Turkish retirees are to undergo similar procedures annually. Why, then, are Algerian retirees—many of whom toiled for decades to build postwar France—being singled out?

This discriminatory approach is not just numerically disproportionate; it is alarmingly punitive. The report warns that 15,000 Algerian retirees face pension suspension in 2025 alone—representing a staggering 88% of the total 17,000 expected suspensions for expatriated pensioners. In practice, this translates to thousands of elderly, vulnerable individuals potentially stripped of their only source of income simply for failing to respond to arbitrary requests or bureaucratic hurdles.

Legal and Historical Violations

Dr. Omar Hetatache, legal scholar and political analyst from the University of M’sila, has condemned the move in no uncertain terms, warning of the legal and humanitarian implications. “This is not merely a technical procedure,” he stressed. “It is a political decision rooted in historical denial and aimed at undermining Algerians’ legitimate rights.” He points to the unique historical and legal framework that has governed Franco-Algerian relations since independence in 1962.

“These pensions are not charity—they are the outcome of legal agreements and decades of labor,” Hetatache said. “France is undermining bilateral agreements signed in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, which guaranteed Algerian workers’ rights to mobility, residency, and retirement pensions.” Under President Houari Boumediène, Algeria fought to ensure that its emigrant workforce in France was not treated as second-class citizens. Those hard-won guarantees are now at risk of being unraveled through administrative coercion.

The Community Under Siege

France is home to the largest Algerian community abroad—estimated at between 7 to 10 million individuals of Algerian origin or descent. Many of these retirees began working in France in the 1960s and 70s, under legal frameworks that offered them equality under French law. “Now, those same people are being subjected to humiliating and discriminatory procedures, unlike any imposed on other migrant groups,” Hetatache stated.

He added, “This is a fundamental violation of the principle of non-discrimination in international law. No country has the right to deny someone a pension they legally earned, nor can it require them to reside in France as a condition for receiving it.”

A Strategy of Intimidation?

Hetatache argued that this policy is not only legally questionable but politically motivated. “This campaign forms part of a broader effort by hostile factions within France who seek to sabotage any rapprochement between Paris and Algiers. The goal is to generate tension and provoke resentment.” These moves come amid a backdrop of strained relations between the two nations, exacerbated by controversial French immigration laws, visa restrictions, and inflammatory rhetoric from French officials.

Even though France has the right to verify the existence of pensioners, Hetatache emphasized that the scale and selectivity of this campaign raise red flags. While acknowledging isolated cases of fraud—such as deceased pensioners whose relatives continue to claim benefits—he insists this does not justify a blanket policy that penalizes tens of thousands of honest retirees.

Administrative Barriers and Social Fallout

The consequences are not merely financial. For many retirees living in Algeria, these pensions represent their sole income. Sudden suspensions, without due process or clear recourse, threaten to push thousands into poverty. “If France pursues this policy, it will trigger a major social crisis among elderly Algerians, who have no other safety net,” Hetatache warned.

Though the French legal system allows for appeals—either through administrative recourse or the courts—the cost of such action is prohibitive. “Retirees must pay for legal representation in France, which is often far beyond their means. In practice, this means they are left without any real avenue to defend their rights,” he said.

Call for Diplomatic Response and Legal Action

It is high time for Algerian authorities to take firm diplomatic action. Silence or appeasement in the face of this blatant targeting of Algerians would amount to complicity. Bilateral agreements must be upheld, and France must be held accountable for its obligations. The Algerian diaspora has long contributed to French society—economically, culturally, and socially. To now discard them under bureaucratic pretenses is not just unjust—it is disgraceful.

In the face of this intensifying campaign, Hetatache called on all affected retirees to pursue every available legal avenue and urged civil society organizations in both Algeria and France to mobilize in their defense. “These are our elders. Our fathers and mothers. They built lives in exile and asked for nothing more than the dignity they earned. We must not abandon them now.”

Translated and adapted from:
https://www.horizons.dz/?p=287015

 

 

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