Algeria demands France apologize over colonization
Unanimous parliamentary vote labels colonial rule a crime, prompting sharp French criticism amid already strained bilateral relations
ALGIERS, Algeria (MNTV) — Algeria’s parliament has unanimously approved legislation declaring France’s colonization of the country a criminal act, formally demanding an apology and reparations, a move Paris denounced as hostile and counterproductive.
During Wednesday’s vote, lawmakers filled the chamber wearing scarves in Algeria’s national colors, chanting patriotic slogans as the bill passed.
The law assigns France legal responsibility for abuses committed during its long colonial rule from 1830 to 1962, describing the period as one marked by systemic violence and national trauma.
The legislation spans five chapters and 27 articles and seeks to codify accountability for colonial-era crimes while reinforcing “the protection of Algeria’s national memory”.
It frames recognition, apology, and compensation as prerequisites for any genuine historical reconciliation.
French colonial rule remains one of the most sensitive issues in Algeria–France relations. The era culminated in the brutal war of independence between 1954 and 1962.
Algeria maintains that 1.5 million people were killed, while French historians cite lower figures, placing the toll at around 500,000.
Debate on the bill began last weekend. Parliamentary Speaker Brahim Boughali said ahead of the vote that the legislation was intended to send an unequivocal message that Algeria’s historical memory is “neither erasable nor open to negotiation.”
The law details the crimes of colonization, including nuclear testing, extrajudicial killings, physical and psychological torture, and the systematic exploitation of Algeria’s natural resources. It affirms that full material and moral compensation is an inalienable right of the Algerian people and state.
Lawmakers also unanimously approved amendments refining several provisions, particularly Articles 05, 18, and 19, strengthening both their legal clarity and scope.
According to the parliament’s Defense Committee, Article 05 was expanded to explicitly include aggression against the Algerian state as a major crime.
Article 18 was revised to standardize sentencing language, while Article 19 was amended to criminalize statements or acts that glorify colonial collaborators or justify colonial rule.
Paris pushback, memory rift
France’s foreign ministry criticized the move, saying it undermines efforts to resume dialogue and calm discussions over shared history.
While stressing that Paris does not comment on Algerian domestic legislation, the ministry pointed to President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative to establish a joint historians’ commission on the colonial period.
Macron has previously described the colonization of Algeria as a crime against humanity but has stopped short of issuing a formal apology.
Historians note that the law has no binding legal effect on France internationally but carries considerable political weight.
The vote comes amid an escalating diplomatic crisis, worsened after France endorsed Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a position Algeria strongly opposes. Additional disputes have further deepened the rift, reinforcing the fragile state of Franco-Algerian relations.
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