Algeria has formally declared French colonial rule illegal and demanded an official apology and compensation from France for crimes committed during the colonial period, marking a significant escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
The decision came after Algeria’s parliament unanimously passed a new law that not only labels French colonialism as illegal but also criminalises any attempt to glorify the colonial era. The law calls on France to accept legal responsibility for the “tragedies” it caused and asserts that “full and fair” compensation is an inalienable right of the Algerian state and its people.
Lawmakers celebrated the passage of the bill by wearing scarves in the national colours and chanting “Long live Algeria,” according to an AFP report. Analysts say the move reflects the most fragile state of Algeria–France relations since Algeria gained independence 63 years ago.
France has not yet issued an official response to the legislation.
Algeria was under French colonial rule from 1830 to 1962, a period marked by mass killings, forced displacement and repression. The country won independence after a brutal war, which Algeria claims claimed the lives of 1.5 million people—though French historians dispute that figure.
French President Emmanuel Macron has previously acknowledged that France’s colonial rule in Algeria constituted “crimes against humanity,” but Paris has so far stopped short of issuing a formal state apology.
The law comes amid growing global pressure for former colonial powers to address historical injustices, including demands for reparations and the return of looted cultural artefacts. Algerian lawmakers have long sought the return of the 16th-century bronze cannon known as “Baba Marzoug,” taken by French forces in 1830 and currently held at the French naval port of Brest.
In 2020, France returned the remains of 24 Algerian resistance fighters killed during the 19th century. Last month, Algeria also hosted a conference of African nations focused on justice and reparations for slavery and colonialism.
Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf said the new legal framework is intended to ensure that restitution is not treated as a “gift or favour,” but as a matter of justice and legal obligation.
Relations between Algiers and Paris further deteriorated last year after France expressed support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara and backed Rabat’s plan for limited autonomy in the disputed territory. Algeria remains a key ally of the pro-independence Polisario Front.
