Messali Hadj
The PPA/MTLD leader Messali Hadj accused him of having too close ties to the French Communist Party (PCF), and after leading a mission to Cairo to hold talks with the exiled leadership of the rival nationalist movement, the Front de libération nationale (FLN), he defected to join that group as its New York City representative. He then served as minister of information in the FLN's government-in-exile (GPRA) set up in 1958, retaining his post through both cabinet reshuffles (in 1960 and 1961).