In a historic parliamentary move, Algeria has formally declared France’s 132-year colonial occupation a criminal act through unanimous legislative action. The newly enacted law establishes colonial glorification as a criminal offense while formally demanding both apology and comprehensive reparations from France for historical injustices.
The parliamentary session witnessed emotional displays of national pride, with lawmakers adorned in national flag-colored scarves chanting “long live Algeria” following the bill’s passage. The legislation explicitly states France bears “legal responsibility” for colonial-era tragedies, establishing compensation as an “inalienable right of the Algerian state and people.”
This development marks the lowest point in Franco-Algerian relations since Algeria’s 1962 independence. The colonial period (1830-1962) remains a deeply contested historical chapter, with Algeria estimating 1.5 million fatalities during the independence war while French historians maintain significantly lower figures.
The legislative action occurs amidst growing global pressure for former colonial powers to address historical wrongs. Algeria recently hosted an African conference advocating for colonial justice and continues demanding return of looted artifacts, including the 16th-century Baba Merzoug cannon currently housed in Brest, France.
Diplomatic tensions escalated recently when France recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a territory where Algeria supports the pro-independence Polisario Front. Additional strain emerged with the temporary imprisonment of French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal for allegedly questioning national borders.
Despite French President Emmanuel Macron’s previous acknowledgment of colonization as a “crime against humanity,” France has maintained silence regarding Algeria’s new legislation and continues withholding formal apology.