Algerian Parliament Votes on Law Criminalizing French Colonialism

SadaNews - The Algerian Parliament will vote today, Wednesday, on a draft law aimed at criminalizing French colonialism in Algeria and considering it a "state crime," demanding that France issue an official apology and take legal responsibility for its colonial past and the ensuing tragedies, in addition to compensating for material and moral damages.

The draft law is expected to pass, granting it strong symbolic and political significance, although its practical impact on the compensation issue remains limited without resorting to international mechanisms or bilateral agreements.

During the presentation of the proposal, the Speaker of the National People's Assembly, Ibrahim Bougali, affirmed that this step is a "sovereign act par excellence" and a clear message that the Algerian national memory is non-negotiable.

He added that it is also a "clear message to both domestic and foreign audiences that the Algerian national memory is neither erasable nor negotiable."

When asked about the vote, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux stated that he does not comment on "political discussions taking place in foreign countries."

Researchers believe that the law does not impose an international obligation on France, but it represents a symbolic break in the relations between the two countries, which continue to witness rising tensions, especially amid recent political disputes.

According to historian of the colonial era at the University of Exeter in the UK, Hosni Qaitouni, the law "does not carry any international dimension and, hence, cannot obligate France" and that "its legal effect is purely local."

He added, "However, its political and symbolic impact is significant: it represents a moment of rupture in the historical relationship with France."

The draft stipulates that the Algerian state is to seek a formal recognition and apology from France, clean up nuclear explosion sites in the Algerian desert, hand over maps, in addition to recovering national archives and movable property, and proposes penalties against anyone who promotes colonialism or denies it as a crime.