Boualem Sansal is an Algerian author who writes in French. In 2024, he became a French citizen. He holds an engineering degree from the National Polytechnic School and a PhD in economics. Sansal has worked as a teacher, consultant, business leader, and senior official in Algeria’s Ministry of Industry. After retiring from his high-ranking government position, he began writing novels at the age of 50. He is known for his outspoken criticism of Islamism and the Algerian government.