December 24, 2025 | News
By SUNTV Global Channel
Algeria is moving to formally declare France’s colonial rule a “state crime,” as its parliament prepares to vote on landmark legislation demanding an official apology and reparations from Paris, a step that further deepens the ongoing diplomatic rift between the two countries.
The bill, expected to be debated on Wednesday, seeks to hold France legally and morally responsible for the consequences of more than 130 years of colonial domination in Algeria. Although analysts say the move is largely symbolic, it carries significant political weight and reinforces Algiers’ long-standing insistence on historical justice.
According to a draft of the legislation seen by AFP, the proposed law states that France bears responsibility for “its colonial past in Algeria and the tragedies it caused,” including mass killings, forced displacement, and systemic repression. The bill explicitly calls for a formal apology and reparations as part of what Algeria describes as a necessary reckoning with history.
Speaking on the matter, Speaker of the Algerian Parliament Brahim Boughali described the initiative as “a sovereign act,” saying it sends a powerful message that Algeria’s national memory “is neither erasable nor negotiable.” His remarks were reported by the state-run APS news agency.
France occupied Algeria from 1830 until independence in 1962, a period that remains a major source of tension in bilateral relations. Colonial rule culminated in a bloody war of independence between 1954 and 1962, widely regarded as one of the most violent decolonisation conflicts of the 20th century.
Algerian authorities estimate that 1.5 million Algerians were killed during the struggle for independence, while French historians place the total death toll at around 500,000, including approximately 400,000 Algerians.
French President Emmanuel Macron has previously acknowledged that France’s colonisation of Algeria amounted to a “crime against humanity,” but has consistently stopped short of issuing a formal state apology—an omission that continues to fuel resentment in Algiers.
Reacting to reports of the planned parliamentary vote, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux said Paris would not comment on “political debates taking place in foreign countries.”
Meanwhile, Hosni Kitouni, a colonial history researcher at the University of Exeter, noted that the proposed law would not be legally binding on France under international law. However, he stressed that its importance lies elsewhere.
“Legally, it has no international scope,” Kitouni said. “But politically and symbolically, it is very significant. It marks a clear rupture in how Algeria now approaches its historical relationship with France.”
As Algeria presses ahead with the vote, the move is expected to intensify debates over colonial memory, accountability, and reconciliation—both within France and across former French colonies in Africa.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor developments as the vote approaches.
