Algeria’s Senate has called for revisions to a recently passed law that criminalises France’s colonial rule, citing concerns that parts of the legislation do not fully align with the government’s official position.
The law, approved unanimously by the lower house of parliament on December 24, declares France’s colonisation of Algeria between 1830 and 1962 a crime. It also calls for a formal apology and reparations for the damage caused during that period.
However, senators on Thursday argued that certain sections, particularly those addressing compensation, conflict with statements previously made by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The president has repeatedly maintained that Algeria is not seeking financial reparations from France, but rather formal recognition of the crimes committed during colonial rule.
Because the Senate does not have the authority to amend legislation passed by the lower chamber, the disputed clauses will now be examined by a joint committee made up of members from both houses before the bill can be finalised.
The proposed law holds France legally responsible for the consequences of its colonial actions in Algeria. It outlines a range of abuses, including nuclear tests, extrajudicial killings, physical and psychological torture, and the large-scale exploitation of resources. It also states that compensation for both material and moral damage is an inalienable right of the Algerian state and its people.
President Tebboune, speaking in December 2024, sought to clarify the government’s stance, saying Algeria was not interested in money but in acknowledgment. He stressed that what the country seeks is recognition of the crimes committed, not financial payment in euros or dollars.
France has described the bill as openly hostile, a reaction that comes amid already strained relations between the two countries. Tensions worsened in late 2024 after France formally supported Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara, a territory where Algeria backs the pro-independence Polisario Front.
While French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged before taking office that France’s colonisation of Algeria amounted to a crime against humanity, Paris has yet to issue a formal apology. Algeria maintains that the war of independence claimed the lives of 1.5 million people, a figure French historians dispute, placing the death toll significantly lower.
The ongoing debate reflects the deep sensitivities surrounding colonial history and continues to shape diplomatic relations between Algiers and Paris.
