The Algerian National Movement (MNA; ) was a political party and movement founded by

Messali Hadj Ahmed Ben Messali Hadj (; May 16, 1898 – June 3, 1974; commonly known as Messali Hadj, ) was an Algerian nationalist politician dedicated to the independence of his homeland from French colonial rule. He is often called the "father" of Algeria ...

in November 1, 1954 to counteract the efforts of the National Liberation Front (FLN) during the

Algerian War The Algerian War (also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence) ''; '' (and sometimes in Algeria as the ''War of 1 November'') was an armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Algeri ...

History

Following the dissolution of the

Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties The Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties (MTLD), name proposed by Maiza, was created October 1946 to replace the outlawed Parti du Peuple Algerien (PPA). Messali Hadj remained as its president. The MTLD was created on the same platfo ...

by French authorities on November 5, 1954, veteran nationalist

founded the Algerian National Movement as a rival to the National Liberation Front (FLN) during the

Algerian War of Independence The Algerian War (also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence) ''; '' (and sometimes in Algeria as the ''War of 1 November'') was an armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Algeri ...

. Messali Hadj was a co-founder and President of the three earlier organizations leading the movement for independence beginning in 1926. The MNA condemned the armed insurrection of November 1, 1954 that was led by the FLN. The armed wing of the FLN, the National Liberation Army (ALN), succeeded in destroying the MNA's small armed groups in Algeria early on in the war. The MNA and FLN also fought each other on French soil in the so-called Café Wars, resulting in hundreds of casualties, but FLN gradually gained the upper hand. The confrontations between the MNA and FLN from 1954 to 1962 directly or indirectly killed 4,000 people and injured 12,000. The National Liberation Front (FLN) managed to prove that it was the movement that led the underground resistance fighters, while the Algerian National Movement (MNA) lost all popular support in Algeria, although remaining active in

Metropolitan France Metropolitan France ( or ), also known as European France (), is the area of France which is geographically in Europe and chiefly comprises #Hexagon, the mainland, popularly known as "the Hexagon" ( or ), and Corsica. This collective name for the ...

. Control over post-independence Algeria would rest firmly in the hands of the FLN and its military, while the MNA vanished as a political organization.

References

* Horne, Alistair. (1977). '' A Savage War of Peace: Algeria, 1954-1962''. Viking Press. * McDougall, James. (2017). '' A History of Algeria''. Cambridge University Press. * McDougall, James. (2006). '' History and the culture of nationalism in Algeria''. Cambridge University Press. Military units and factions of the Algerian War Arab militant groups Articles containing video clips Banned political parties in Algeria Defunct political parties in Algeria Defunct political parties in France National liberation movements Political parties with year of disestablishment missing Political parties with year of establishment missing Rebel groups in Algeria Separatism in Algeria Separatism in France Terrorism in France {{Algeria-party-stub

History

References

Further reading