TOPIC: national anthems

PARIS — Algeria’s national anthem, Kassaman (Oath), is a war song penned by jailed nationalist and poet Moufdi Zakaria in 1955 during the Algerian War of Independence against the French colonialists . Three out of five verses evoke fighting the colonization of Algeria, with the most controversial verse being the third, which calls out France directly.

In the 1980s, to avoid diplomatic tensions with Paris, Algeria decreed that the third verse could be omitted if the circumstances called for it. But on June 11, a presidential decree restored the controversial third verse, making all five verses obligatory. Now, Kassaman will be performed in its ‘full form’ at official events – allusions to imperialism included.

There was backlash from Paris, as French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna called the decision “outdated.” Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Ataf responded quickly that he was "astounded by the fact that the French foreign minister thought she could express an opinion on the Algerian national anthem."

Alas, this is far from an isolated topic, as people have vehemently expressed their views on whether anthems should be maintained, modified or scrapped for years.

While national anthems are often marches or hymns celebrating a military event, some are considered too bloody and graphic for modern times. Amongst those which literally evoke blood, often that of their enemies, are Algeria’s Kassaman , Portugal’s A Portuguesa , France’s Marseillaise , Vietnam’s Tiến Quân Ca (The Marching song) and Belgium’s La Brabançonne .