First Independent Mena Newspaper
Algeria has quietly climbed down in its standoff with Mali, reopening its airspace to Malian aircraft and returning its ambassador to Bamako, the latest in a string of diplomatic retreats that has come to define Algiers’ diplomacy with the countries it has picked fights with in recent years, from Spain to France and now the […]
For more than four years, Algeria’s regime has repeated the same refrain accusing the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK) as a “terrorist” organization, remote-controlled from abroad, notably Morocco. But this rhetoric, hammered home relentlessly, is showing its limits at home, while no one believes it abroad. This came to the fore again after […]
Algeria’s parliamentary elections have delivered an unmistakable verdict on the state of the country’s political system, with official results showing a turnout of just 21.24%, meaning nearly four out of five registered voters abstained despite efforts by authorities to boost participation, including extending voting hours nationwide. The figure marks the lowest participation rate recorded in […]
The New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists has called on the Algerian regime to immediately release freelance journalist and blogger Mourad At-Mimou and stop targeting journalists for their online commentary. Algerian plainclothes police officers arrested At-Mimou on July 7, while he was at a café in Tizi-Ouzou, in northern Algeria’s Kabylia region, according to a […]
The International Monetary Fund warned Algeria that its economy is weakening, urging authorities to tighten fiscal policy, avoid printing money to finance government deficits and stand ready to tighten monetary policy if inflation persists. The unusually stark warning came in the IMF’s 2026 Article IV consultation, which said rising oil and gas prices were helping […]
Algeria’s legislative elections were overshadowed by signs of weak voter participation at 20.7%, with authorities extending voting by an hour and urging citizens to head to the polls as polling stations in parts of the capital appeared largely empty. The vote took place as Algeria’s national football team was preparing to face Switzerland in a […]
Algeria and Austria faced mounting criticism over sportsmanship after their dramatic 3-3 draw at the 2026 World Cup, a result that sent both teams into the knockout stage while eliminating Iran. The match unfolded under unusual circumstances, with both sides aware that a draw would guarantee qualification. That context shaped the contest and has since […]
Questions over Algeria’s long-term internal cohesion are gaining attention after a recent Sahel Intelligence commentary warned that mounting internal and regional pressures could test the country’s stability. In its May 31 edition, the publication cited three main fault lines, starting with identity tensions in Kabylie, the status of the Polisario militias in Tindouf, and the […]
As the world’s spotlights turn to the World Cup, Algeria’s use of football as a propaganda platform has triggered more mockery than admiration, with critics pointing to a pattern of politicizing the sport and mobilizing state-aligned voices to target Morocco rather than celebrate the game. Instead of embracing the World Cup as a moment of […]
A meeting meant to relaunch strained ties between France and Algeria has instead laid bare Algiers’ weakened diplomatic position, with the spying controversy surrounding a senior Algerian intelligence chief casting a long shadow over the talks. Earlier this month, discussions in Paris, led by French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and his Algerian counterpart Saïd Sayoud, […]