The leader of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, has called for the resignation of French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau following a deadly Islamist terror attack in Mulhouse on Saturday. The attack, carried out by a 37-year-old Algerian national with a known history of radicalization, resulted in one fatality and left multiple police officers injured.
According to authorities, the suspect, who was on France’s radicalization prevention watchlist (FSPRT), launched a knife attack near a demonstration in support of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is in the midst of an insurgency by the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel movement.
The assailant fatally stabbed a 69-year-old Portuguese citizen, Lino Sousa Loureiro, who had attempted to intervene. Additionally, two municipal police officers sustained serious injuries — one was stabbed in the carotid artery and the other in the throat — while three others were also wounded.
FRANCE: New video showing the arrest of the Algerian migrant, who killed 1 and wounded several people, including 2 policemen, during the mass stabbing attack in Mulhouse.
The Algerian is on a terror list and shouted “Allahu Akbar" during the attack.pic.twitter.com/RGDqd3wIl9
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) February 22, 2025The attacker was already under judicial supervision and house arrest, with an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF). However, Algeria’s refusal to accept the individual led to his continued presence in France. The suspect had been arrested in November 2023 for “apology for terrorism” and served six months in prison before being released early.
Retailleau placed blame on the Algerian government for obstructing France’s deportation efforts, stating, “Once more, it was Islamist terrorism that has struck, and once again, the migratory disorders that are at the origin of this attack.” He revealed that French authorities had repeatedly requested a consular pass for the suspect to be deported, which Algeria refused to issue.
In response to the attack, National Rally leader Jordan Bardella accused the French government of failing to act decisively against radical Islamist threats. “Each time, it is systematically the same personalities, the same profiles, people who are followed for their proximity to Islamist fundamentalism and whom we do not expel from French territory,” Bardella stated, urging Retailleau to either take stronger measures or step down.
The attack also reignited discussions about France’s immigration policies, with French MEP Marion Maréchal, niece of Marine Le Pen, declaring, “The Algerian government therefore has French blood on its hands.” She called for immediate measures, including the suspension of all visa agreements with Algeria.
The French government has announced an interministerial immigration control council meeting on Wednesday following the attack to address the ongoing challenges related to deportation and national security.
Retailleau emphasized the need for a tougher stance against Algeria, arguing that France must establish a new “balance of power” in diplomatic negotiations.
