The green and white flag marked with a red crescent and star has become a powerful symbol within the Algerian nationalist movement, which traces its roots to the North African Star (ENA), an organization founded in Paris in 1926. The ENA originally brought together North African migrant workers and later focused on the independence of Algeria. The group was initially led by Abdelkader Hadj Ali, but Messali Hadj, a key figure in Algerian nationalism, soon took the lead. His long struggle for independence included years of imprisonment and surveillance. The centenary of the ENA in 2026 led to several events in Algeria, including a conference in Oran organized by the Center for Research in Social and Cultural Anthropology (CRASC), which highlighted the complex role of Paris in the Algerian independence movement. The exact origins of the Algerian flag remain a topic of debate. While the North African Star played a major role in popularizing the emblem, some of its elements appeared even before the organization was founded. Historians such as René Gallissot and Anissa Bouayed suggest that the flag was used in demonstrations by Algerian trade unions in France and Algeria as early as 1919 and 1920. At that time, the design of the flag was not yet standardized, with variations in the arrangement of colors, the crescent, and the star. Political scientist Salim Chena explored this history in a 2024 article titled "A Century of Vexillology: The Three Ages of the Algerian Flag," published in the journal Sociétés & Représentations. A key moment came in August 1934, when the North African Star officially presented the green and white flag with a red crescent and star. This design became more firmly established after the formation of the Algerian People's Party (PPA) in 1937. According to Algerian author Achour Cheurfi, the PPA created a committee around 1944 to finalize the flag's design. Émilie Busquant, a French woman born in 1901 in Neuves-Maisons, is closely linked to the flag's history. She met Messali Hadj in Paris and shared his political ideals. Several sources suggest that she sewed the first version of the flag presented in 1934. Historian Benjamin Stora notes that the colors were chosen during a meeting of the ENA in 1934 at the home of Hocine Benachenhou, and that Émilie Busquant was tasked with creating the flag. While the origin of the flag’s symbols is still debated, some researchers believe they were influenced by earlier designs or the collective work of PPA members. Émilie Busquant remained a close companion of Messali Hadj until his death in 1953. Though she was long forgotten, she has since been remembered for her role in the anti-colonial struggle. In 2003, her hometown placed a commemorative plaque in her honor. On May 8, 1945, as Europe celebrated the end of World War II, Algerians in Sétif protested against French colonial rule. During the demonstrations, 26-year-old Bouzid Saâl was shot while carrying the Algerian flag, becoming one of the first victims of the Sétif massacres. In 2021, the French ambassador to Algeria laid a wreath at a monument dedicated to Saâl at the request of President Emmanuel Macron. The National Liberation Front (FLN), which led the war of independence, later adopted the flag as its emblem. From 1958, it was also used by the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic (GPRA). On July 5, 1962, two days after France recognized Algeria’s independence, the National Liberation Army raised the flag at Sidi Fredj, the site of the first French landing in Algeria in 1830. Law No. 63-145 of 1963 officially defined the flag’s design, including the proportions of the rectangle, the placement of the red crescent and star, and the distribution of green and white. For Algerians living in France, the national flag has become a symbol of collective pride and identity. It is prominently displayed during major events, such as the success of the Algerian national football team. In 2014, when the team qualified for the World Cup quarterfinals, celebrations erupted in French cities. In Nice, the mayor at the time, Christian Estrosi, issued an ordinance banning the ostentatious display of foreign flags in the city center, but an administrative court suspended the measure after pressure from the League for Human Rights. The flag has also been used in political demonstrations by the Algerian diaspora in France, though no general ban exists on displaying foreign flags in public spaces. In 2011, a bill proposing restrictions on the use of foreign flags was introduced but never passed. A century after the founding of the North African Star, the Algerian flag continues to be a subject of discussion, particularly in France. In 2026, the Franco-Algerian Union of Normandy (UFAN) urged families not to use the flag during school protests, arguing that it should be reserved for moments of pride and unity. However, this view does not reflect the entire Algerian diaspora in France. On TikTok, a Franco-Algerian influencer from Toulouse expressed the sentiment behind UFAN’s stance: "This flag was not made for negative things."