Algerian Parliament Unanimously Declares French Colonization a State Crime

On Wednesday, December 24, 2025, the legislative body of Algeria passed a law that formally designates the era of French colonial rule, spanning from 1830 to 1962, as a “state crime.” This landmark decision stems from years of persistent appeals by Algeria directed at Paris, demanding acknowledgment of its historical past and the payment of reparations.

The deputies, visibly demonstrating national pride by wearing scarves in the colors of the Algerian flag, marked the vote with enthusiastic applause and chants of “Long live Algeria!” This demonstration underscored the sovereign nature of the act. Significantly, the bill was drafted entirely by the legislators themselves, rather than being introduced by the government, lending it substantial representative authority, especially given the deterioration of bilateral relations throughout 2025.

The adopted legislation explicitly imposes “legal responsibility upon the French State for its colonial legacy in Algeria and the tragedies it engendered.” This move solidifies Algeria’s official stance on the historical period.

Within the text of the new law, specific atrocities committed during the colonial period are cataloged as crimes of colonialism. These include the systematic plunder of national resources, extrajudicial killings, the infliction of both physical and psychological torture, and the execution of nuclear testing in the Sahara Desert during the 1960s. The Algerian position maintains that full and equitable compensation for all material and moral damages incurred during the colonial epoch constitutes an inalienable right for the Algerian people and state.

Ibrahim Bougali, the Speaker of Parliament who initially introduced this bill back in January 2025, communicated to the state news agency APS that this action sends a “clear message, both domestically and internationally, that the national memory of Algeria will neither be erased nor subjected to negotiation.” Furthermore, the law establishes criminal liability, punishable by up to ten years in prison, for anyone publicly justifying or glorifying the colonial era in media statements or public discourse.

The period of French governance, which lasted from 1830 until 1962, remains a highly contentious issue in Franco-Algerian relations. This tension has been exacerbated by recent diplomatic spats, notably Paris’s support in July 2024 for Morocco’s autonomy plan concerning Western Sahara. These incidents have precipitated the most significant breakdown in relations between the two nations since Algeria achieved independence in 1962.

Despite the political fireworks this law is sure to ignite, experts caution that its practical legal enforceability remains limited. Khosni Kitouni, a researcher specializing in colonial history at the University of Exeter, pointed out that “legally, this statute lacks international jurisdiction and is therefore not binding upon France,” though he acknowledged its immense symbolic and political weight. Official Paris, through a statement from Foreign Ministry representative Pascal Confavreau, declined to comment on “political debates occurring in foreign nations.”

The Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962) resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million people, according to Algerian figures, while French historians generally cite a figure closer to 500,000 total casualties. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously characterized colonization as a “crime against humanity” but has stopped short of issuing a formal apology.

Simultaneously, even amidst this friction, economic ties persist, as France remains a significant foreign investor, and Algeria serves as a crucial supplier of energy resources. The initiative championed by Bougali, who has chaired the People's National Assembly since July 2021, reflects a broader trend observed across African nations in 2025, where there has been an uptick in demands directed at former colonial powers for the acknowledgment of historical crimes and the subsequent payment of reparations.