Algerian parliament moves to criminalize French colonialism

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Sabq Press
21 Mar 2025 06:58

Algeria’s parliament is moving to criminalize French colonialism, forming a joint committee to draft a law amid rising tensions with France.

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French President Emmanuel Macron, right, reviews the troops before his talks with Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune, Thursday, on August 25, 2022, in Algiers. (AP)

Algeria’s National People’s Assembly has launched an unprecedented parliamentary initiative aimed at enacting a law that criminalizes French colonialism, parliamentary sources told Sabq Press.

The six parliamentary blocs represented in the assembly are coordinating efforts to ensure the proposal is introduced within a consensus-based framework, avoiding any core disagreements. This move comes amid rising tensions between Algeria and France following statements by French officials that glorify the colonial era.

According to the Algerian news outlet, a joint committee has been formed, comprising representatives from all parliamentary blocs alongside legal experts, to refine the bill’s content. The committee is set to be officially established this Sunday, after which it will begin drafting the initial version of the law. The draft will then be submitted to the assembly’s legal committee for discussion and further development.

Sources indicate that the bill could be debated in the coming weeks and enjoys broad support, particularly given the current political and diplomatic landscape, which increases its chances of passing without major obstacles.

A similar initiative was proposed in 2006 in response to a 2005 French law that praised colonial rule in Algeria. However, the earlier effort did not succeed at the time.

The renewed push for the legislation comes amid new circumstances, notably the rise of right-wing rhetoric in France against Algeria and statements by some officials downplaying the atrocities of French colonialism. Moreover, France refuses to acknowledge or apologize for 132 years of brutal colonial rule in Algeria, which only ended in an eight-year war for independence.

If passed, the law is expected to provoke strong diplomatic reactions, as it would directly impact Algerian-French relations. Its adoption could also spark broader discussions on historical memory, accountability, and reparations—issues that have long been a source of contention between the two countries.