Daily Digest Online

In a move that has the potential to reshape the geopolitical landscape of North Africa, the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK) has formally proclaimed the birth of the Federal Republic of Kabylia. The declaration was made in Paris on December 14, 2025, an event originally banned from its planned venue due to pressure from the Algerian government. This act of self-determination presents a significant opportunity for Western democracies, particularly the United States and Israel, to gain a secular, pro-Western ally in a region dominated by adversaries. What is Kabylia, and Why Does It Matter? Kabylia is a historically distinct, ethnolinguistic region in northern Algeria, home to an estimated 9 million Berber (Amazigh) people known as the Kabyles. The MAK, led by President Ferhat Mehenni, has long sought self-rule for this area, citing political and cultural marginalization by the central Algerian government in Algiers. The newly proclaimed republic positions...