The intervention by the German president has yielded positive results. On Wednesday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune issued a pardon for writer Boualem Sansal, who had been imprisoned since November 16, 2024, and was sentenced last March to five years for «undermining national unity». «President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received a request on November 10, 2025, from Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, asking for a pardon for Boualem Sansal,» the Algerian presidency announced in a statement this Wednesday. «The President of the Republic responded positively to this request, recognizing its humanitarian nature and significance.» «In accordance with Article 91, paragraph 8, of the Constitution, and following the necessary consultations as required by law, the President of the Republic decided to grant the request of His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Germany. The German state will assume responsibility for the transfer and care of the individual in question.» The case of Sansal, who is 80 years old and battling prostate cancer, had become a diplomatic flashpoint between Algeria and France. Tensions escalated in July 2024 after France acknowledged Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara. This pardon marks a step towards improving diplomatic relations between France and Algeria, a process that began several months ago, particularly at the intelligence services level. The exit of Bruno Retailleau, head of the Republican Party, from the Ministry of the Interior, expedited these negotiations. The release of Boualem Sansal is anticipated to facilitate a visit by the French Minister of the Interior to Algiers.
