Algeria Officially Declares French Colonisation a Crime
Algeria’s parliament has unanimously approved a law declaring French colonisation of Algeria a crime. The law demands an official apology and reparations from France for the damages caused during the colonial period.
Lawmakers wore scarves in the national flag colors and chanted "long live Algeria" during the vote. The bill recognizes France’s “legal responsibility” for crimes committed during its rule in Algeria, including nuclear tests, extrajudicial killings, torture, and resource plunder.
The legislation asserts that the Algerian people and state have an inalienable right to full compensation for the material and moral harm inflicted by France. Colonial rule over Algeria lasted from 1830 until Algeria’s independence in 1962, a period marked by mass killings and deportations.
The Algerian government estimates the war of independence killed about 1.5 million people. French historians, however, put the death toll closer to 500,000, with 400,000 Algerian casualties. This discrepancy underscores the continuing tensions over historical memory.
Speaker Ibrahim Boughali emphasized that the law sends a “clear message” internally and externally. He stated that Algeria’s national memory is “neither erasable nor negotiable,” underscoring the symbolic weight of the legislation.
French President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged France’s colonisation of Algeria as a “crime against humanity.” Yet, Macron has stopped short of issuing a formal apology. Meanwhile, the French Foreign Ministry declined to comment on Algeria’s parliamentary vote, calling it a “political debate” in a foreign country.
Experts note that while the law carries no binding international legal force over France, its political symbolism is significant. Hosni Kitouni, a colonial history researcher, described the move as marking a “rupture” in Franco-Algerian relations regarding shared historical memory.
Algeria’s new law fits into a broader regional push by African leaders seeking recognition of colonial crimes and reparations. This legislation reflects a growing demand for historical justice and acknowledgment of past atrocities stemming from colonialism.
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