Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic

The Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic (Arabic: الحكومة المؤقتة للجمهورية الجزائرية, ح م ج ج; French: Gouvernement provisoire de la République algérienne, GPRA) was the government-in-exile of the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) during the latter part of the Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962).

Creation and purpose

The GPRA was set up in Cairo, Egypt, by the FLN on September 19, 1958, four years into the Algerian War of Independence. Its first President was the moderate nationalist Ferhat Abbas, who had for decades insisted on trying to peacefully reform the French colonial system, before finally despairing and joining the FLN's armed struggle. He was once re-elected to the post, in 1960, but as early as the following year he was sidelined and replaced by Benyoucef Benkhedda, who held the presidency as Algeria was declared independent.

The purpose of the GPRA was to serve as a diplomatic and political tool for the FLN. It allowed sympathetic governments to extend official recognition to it (among those that did were neighbouring Morocco and Tunisia, as well as Nasserite Egypt, other Arab countries, and Pakistan). Its headquarters were located in Tunis, but diplomats were posted in most major world capitals to try to lobby governments and organize local support groups. It was partly intended to serve as a preemptive diplomatic strike against a proposal by French President Charles de Gaulle to hold a referendum by which Algeria would be given an autonomous status within France.

1962 Algerian crisis

After the war, the Algerian crisis period began and infighting broke out in FLN ranks. Benkhedda of the GPRA briefly held power in Tizi Ouzou, but there was no unified power for the whole country. Ahmed Ben Bella entered Algeria with the National Liberation Army (ALN) and established his headquarters in Tlemcen in July.