General “relief” but concern for Christophe Gleizes, who remains detained in Algeria… Review of reactions

Algeria announced on Wednesday that it had accepted Germany’s request to pardon Boualem Sansal. The French-Algerian writer has been jailed for almost a year after being sentenced to five years in prison in July, primarily for “undermining national unity”.

Boualem Sansal’s beliefs was at the heart of the diplomatic dispute between Paris and Algiers. Algeria’s announcement of Boualem Sansal’s pardon was a “relieved” for the French political class and for its supporting committees. Many of them also welcomed Germany’s role in the matter and almost all recalled that sports journalist Christophe Gleizes is still detained in Algeria.

“Freedom to think, write, doubt and criticize wins the day”greets X president of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet. “I applaud their patient work that has brought about these long-awaited results, and I thank all members of the National Assembly for their unfailing mobilization”he added. “My thoughts are with Christophe Gleizes, who remains in custody. We remain fully committed to his release.”

“Most importantly, justice must be served. Our mobilization continues. Boualem Sansal must now be able to return to France immediately”wrote in X the deputy boss of the EPR (Together for the Republic) and former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. Former President François Hollande greeted him directly “All my hopes for recovery and I express to his loved ones, as well as to those who are moving for this cause, all my thoughts”.

Laurent Lhardit, socialist deputy, president of the French Algerian friendship group, “rejoice” in this French Inter “release long awaited”. “This is a failure of Retailleau’s methods”he said, targeting the former Minister of Home Affairs “For a man cannot be as hard as he is, without the means of his hardness”.

“Right now, France’s interests are to get closer to Algeria and build a shared future.”

Laurent Lhardit, socialist deputy, president of the French Algerian friendship group

at France Inter

“The release of writer Boualem Sansal, who should never have been imprisoned, is a real relief for the Nation and his loved ones”RN president Jordan Bardella reacted, while Marine Le Pen stated on X: “This release is a victory for the dignity and freedom of expression of a courageous and honest writer”.

Meanwhile, the president of Reconquête!, Eric Zemmour, underlined this “Germany will achieve what French leaders never achieved” and denounce “diplomatic insult”.

France Insoumise salutes “a decision that allows Mr Sansal to reunite with his loved ones and benefit from treatment tailored to his health condition”. But the party still remembers him “don’t agree with the idea”but said he defended “the application of fundamental freedoms to it. We do not compromise on freedom of expression”.

“This is a great joy and relief”reacts to franceinfo Noëlle Lenoir, president of the support committee for the French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal. “He’s sick. (…) The important thing is that he gets treatment first, that’s mandatory.”According to him, he had been suffering from prostate cancer.

“It’s very happy, a lot of emotions”confides Eric Fototorino on franceinfo, right after the announcement of Algeria’s pardon for Boualem Sansal. Journalist, author and support committee member Boualem Sansal, added: “Every day, we tell ourselves that he did nothing in prison, it went on for 361 days, it has to stop”. The author also highlights the adoption by one vote of a resolution, pushed by the National General Assembly, to condemn the 1968 agreement between France and Algeria at the end of October. “also closed everything a bit, it was more difficult”But “like a seismograph, I feel something is going to happen, I have to wait”said the journalist. “Berlin’s role is very important,” emphasized Eric Fototorino, who welcomed it “German presidential mediation”.

That’s a “very good news”, “We have been waiting for it for a year”said Jean-Christophe Ruffin at franceinfo. The author, a member of the committee supporting Boualem Sansal, also recalled the importance of the change of government in France. “Laurent Nuñez, the new Minister of the Interior, takes a very different position from his predecessor”Bruno Retailleau, Jean-Christophe Ruffin notes, “He knows Algeria well, he has completely changed the way he views relations with that country, he has renewed the dialogue and we must salute him.”.