Overview

• Approximately 30 French parliamentarians will travel to Algeria on May 8 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the May 8, 1945 massacres in Sétif, Guelma, and Kherrata.
• The visit comes during a diplomatic deadlock between France and Algeria, exacerbated by France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2024 and reciprocal expulsions of consular staff in April 2025.
• The delegation includes representatives from the left, far-left, and center, such as Laurent Lhardit, Fatiha Keloua Hachi, and Danielle Simonnet, showcasing broad political support for the trip.
• Algeria approved the visit and issued visas, signaling a willingness to continue parliamentary-level engagement despite frozen executive ties.
• The commemorations align with Algeria’s annual “Journée de la Mémoire,” established in 2020 to honor the victims of the colonial-era repression, with casualty estimates remaining a point of contention between the two nations.