Algerian Parliament Declares French Colonialism a Crime

Fri Dec 26 2025 09:56:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a decisive move, Algeria's parliament has passed a law categorizing France's colonization of the country as a crime, demanding reparations and an official apology, amid rising tensions in diplomatic relations.

Algeria's parliament has unanimously declared the colonization by France a crime, advocating for an apology and reparations. The legislation reflects escalating tensions between Algeria and France, rooted in the violent history of colonization and its lasting impacts, as it seeks to redefine legal responsibilities regarding colonial actions.

Algeria's parliament has unanimously passed a law declaring France's colonisation of the North African state a crime, and demanding an apology and reparations.

The law also criminalises the glorification of colonialism, as reported by state-run TV. The recent vote marks another sign of the increasingly strained diplomatic relations between the two nations, with some observers suggesting that the relationship is at its lowest since Algeria gained independence 63 years ago.

French colonisation of Algeria, which lasted from 1830 to 1962, was characterized by mass killings, deportations, and a bloody war for independence that Algeria claims took 1.5 million lives, although French historians argue the death toll is significantly lower.

President Emmanuel Macron has previously called the colonisation a crime against humanity but has stopped short of offering a formal apology. As lawmakers wore scarves in the colors of the Algerian flag and chanted long live Algeria, they applauded the legislation's passage. The new law states that France has legal responsibility for the tragedies it caused, asserting that full and fair compensation is a right of the Algerian people.

This legislation further complicates the already tense diplomatic relations, which worsened after Macron's acknowledgment of Moroccan sovereignty in Western Sahara, a move Algeria opposes as it supports the pro-independence Polisario Front. In a bid for reparations, Algeria has also called for the return of historical artifacts, including a 16th Century bronze canon seized during colonization.

The parliament's decision coincides with a broader global discourse on colonial reparations and justice, and follows France's past return of the remains of 24 Algerian resistance fighters in 2020. Algeria's Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf mentioned a legal framework is necessary to ensure that restitution is neither viewed as a gift nor a favor. As the two countries navigate the aftermath of a turbulent past, this recent bill could be a pivotal moment in shaping their diplomatic future.