Algerian Parliament classifies French colonization as a crime

Published at: 24/12/2025 10:21 PM

The Algerian Parliament unanimously approved a law that qualifies French colonization (1830-1962) as a crime and requires Paris to apologize officially and make reparations for the damage caused during that period, Sputnik Mundo reported on its Telegram account.

The law seeks to make France assume its “legal responsibility” for the tragedies of the colonial past and lists crimes considered to be imprescriptible, such as nuclear tests, extrajudicial executions, large scale torture and the looting of resources.

Macron's government reacted harshly and described the initiative as a “clearly hostile” gesture, considering that it hinders the resumption of bilateral dialogue and joint work on historical memory.

Experts stress that the law is not legally binding on France, but it has a strong political and symbolic weight, in a context of diplomatic tensions marked by the legacy of the Algerian war of independence, which left hundreds of thousands of victims.