Overview
- Christophe Barthès, the Rassemblement National mayor of Carcassonne, announced on Thursday that he will not provide city buildings to the Algerian consulate for the July 2 legislative vote.
- Barthès framed the decision as a political choice tied to what he called deteriorated diplomatic relations and cited the cases of writer Boualem Sansal and journalist Christophe Gleizes to justify withholding municipal support.
- The town hall said the consulate had formally requested permission to install polling stations for Algerian citizens living in France, and there is no public information yet about alternative polling arrangements in Carcassonne.
- The refusal follows a series of contested measures by Barthès since his March election, including removing the European flag, signing an anti‑begging order, and asking unions to vacate municipal premises.
- Coverage split along partisan lines, with some outlets describing the move as a political signal against the Algerian regime and others calling it part of a pattern of reactionary or discriminatory actions; the decision could prompt administrative or diplomatic pushback and affect diaspora voting logistics.