French National Assembly Adopts RN Resolution Denouncing 1968 Franco-Algerian Agreement

On October 30, 2025, the French National Assembly made a historic decision by adopting a resolution initiated by the Rassemblement National (RN) that denounces the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreements. The resolution passed by the narrowest margin, with 185 votes in favor and 184 against, marking the first time in history that an RN text was approved by the Assembly.

The resolution challenges the 1968 agreement which grants Algerians specific immigration and residency statuses in France, a topic that has stirred ongoing debate and tensions between Paris and Algiers. The vote saw cross-party support from the Republican Right and Horizons groups alongside the RN, while leftist parties and most deputies from the Macronist Ensemble pour la République (EPR) opposed it.

A significant factor influencing the resolution's passage was the absence of many EPR deputies, including their leader Gabriel Attal, who was attending an international forum that day. Attal had previously voiced support for denouncing the 1968 agreement but ultimately the EPR opposed the RN's resolution. Left-wing leaders Olivier Faure and Mathilde Panot harshly criticized this absenteeism, suggesting it deprived the Assembly of a chance to defeat the RN text. Panot even described the resolution as "racist."

Key to the vote was RN deputy Sébastien Chenu, who presided over the session and cast his vote, following parliamentary tradition. Marine Le Pen, the RN leader, celebrated the resolution's adoption as a "historic victory" and urged Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to respect the Assembly's decision and promptly communicate the vote to Algeria.

This political event reflects the deep divisions over France's relationship with Algeria and immigration policy. The 1968 agreement has stood as a contentious symbol, and this new resolution signals a bold step by the RN in shaping national discourse around Franco-Algerian affairs.