Was the opening of a LREM branch in Dakhla done with the backing of Paris ?

France reacted on Monday to the various statements emanating from Algeria, the day after the cancellation of the visit of French Prime Minister Jean Castex, initially scheduled for Sunday. While Paris deplored the criticisms and threats of the Algerian government, in particular against its ambassador, it ignored questions of the Algerian authorities on the opening of a branch of the party of Emmanuel Macron, La République En Marche (LREM).

«France supports the efforts of the United Unions Secretary General in favor of a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council», recalled his spokesperson, quoted by AFP.

The same thing was voiced by LREM, which suggested that it would not go back on this decision coming under a «local initiative». «The local committee of Dakhla was created on a local initiative for the French residents in this city», a member of the party said in Paris. «The national authorities were not consulted and it is in no way a signal or a political message», the same source added.

Yet the opening of the Saharawi branch of LREM was indeed done in coordination with the political office in Paris, assures Jaoued Boussakouran, the party’s Maghreb and West Africa referent. An initiative with such important diplomatic consequences could not have been taken without the agreement of LREM's management.

It is worth mentioning that unlike Algeria which has not reacted in an official and direct manner, the Polisario Front publicly denounced the opening of the presidential party's branch in Dakhla.