Following a recent trip to Djanet for an event on rock art, Ségolène Royal, head of the France-Algeria Association, has once again voiced her concerns regarding the current status of bilateral ties. She confirmed meeting with French journalist Christophe Gleizes, who has been imprisoned in Algeria since June 2025, noting that while he is coping, there is no immediate certainty regarding his release.

Royal also shifted her focus to economic relations, arguing that France is missing key opportunities that European neighbors like Italy, Germany, and Spain have successfully seized in the energy and industrial sectors. Highlighting the contrast between the closure of the Renault factory and the new Opel facility in Algeria, she questioned the intelligence of the French government's current strategy. She concluded by stating that while other nations successfully engage with Algeria, France remains an outlier in its strained approach.