In a historic parliamentary move, Algeria has unanimously enacted groundbreaking legislation that formally classifies France’s colonial occupation as a criminal act. The new law mandates an official apology and comprehensive reparations from France for its 132-year colonial rule, which resulted in approximately 1.5 million Algerian deaths during the independence struggle from 1954 to 1962.
The comprehensive legislation establishes France’s legal responsibility for colonial-era atrocities and asserts Algeria’s incontestable right to full compensation. The law additionally criminalizes any glorification of French colonial practices, marking a significant step in Algeria’s national reckoning with its traumatic past.
The parliamentary session culminated in emotional celebrations as lawmakers, draped in national colors, chanted ‘long live Algeria’ following the vote. The legislation specifically references the systemic violence, mass killings, torture, deportations, and second-class status imposed on native Algerian Muslims during French occupation that began in 1830.
This legislative action occurs amidst growing global demands for former colonial powers to address historical injustices through artifact repatriation and reparations. Algeria has specifically demanded the return of the 16th-century bronze cannon Baba Merzoug, taken by French forces in 1830 and currently located in Brest, France.
The political context remains complex, with French President Emmanuel Macron having previously characterized colonization as a ‘crime against humanity’ while stopping short of offering a formal apology. Meanwhile, far-right factions in France, including Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, continue to resist acknowledging colonial atrocities, with some members openly defending colonial practices.
Algeria recently hosted a conference of African states to advance reparations claims, with Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf emphasizing that restitution should constitute neither ‘a gift nor a favor.’ Historical experts note the persistence of colonial-era mentalities, with historian Benjamin Stora describing France’s current ‘obsession with Algeria’ as summoning a ‘colonial unconscious’ that continues to affect bilateral relations.