The Algerian National Movement (french: Mouvement national algérien, or MNA, Tamazight: ''Amussu Aɣelnaw Adzayri'', ar, الحركة الوطنية الجزائرية) was an organization founded to counteract the efforts of the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN). It was founded by veteran

nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...

Messali Hadj as a rival to the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) during the

Algerian War of Independence The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...

. He was a co-founder and President of the three earlier organizations leading the movement for independence beginning in 1926. However the War of Independence was started November 1954 without him being consulted. The creation of the MNA was his revenge. He found support among

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

expatriate An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...

s in France who had idolized him in the past and also among the French authorities. In spite of that, the FLN's armed wing, the Armée de Libération Nationale (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 A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-caf ...

, resulting in hundreds of casualties, but FLN gradually gained the upper hand. 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

Paul-Marie Atger, "Le Mouvement national algérien à Lyon. Vie, mort et renaissance durant la guerre d'Algérie", ''Vingtième siècle, revue d'histoire'', n° 104, octobre-décembre 2009. http://www.cairn.info/revue-vingtieme-siecle-revue-d-histoire-2009-4-p-107.htm 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