The joint commission of historians tasked with the Algerian War archives remains stalled, paralyzed by opposition from segments of the French political and administrative establishment. Although President Emmanuel Macron sought to open these archives as part of a memorial policy, he has faced significant pushback from within the state apparatus. The case of military researcher Romain Choron, who faced investigation and house searches for his thesis on the French army's use of chemical weapons, highlights the barriers academic researchers encounter. Tensions between the push for transparency and state security guardians have intensified since 2018, following the acknowledgment of state responsibility in the Maurice Audin case. While the Council of State ruled in 2021 to facilitate archive access, new legislation on intelligence and counter-terrorism has effectively locked away sensitive documents again, categorizing information about the Algerian liberation struggle under national security and intelligence techniques.