Algeria demands apologies and reparations from France for more than a century of colonialism

Algeria's parliament has supported a bill that requires France to apologize and pay reparations for 130 years of "occupation," which is likely to exacerbate the enmity with Paris. This was reported by the agency Bloomberg.

On Wednesday, December 24, lawmakers voted in favor of a bill that declares French colonialism a "state crime" and holds the country responsible for "war crimes and crimes against humanity" during its rule from 1830 to 1962.

The document also criminalizes any glorification of this period.

The move comes as relations between the two countries hit their lowest point in decades after French President Emmanuel Macron last year supported the rule of neighboring Morocco over the disputed Western Sahara. This angered Algeria, which hosts a group that has been fighting for the independence of this territory for half a century.

A similar bill was first proposed in 1984 and then several times this millennium when relations with Paris were at a low ebb. It has never passed the lower house before and still needs the approval of the upper house and Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboun to become law.

The text of the draft law includes more than two dozen articles, one of which classifies 27 types of crimes related to French colonialism, including military attacks on civilians, excessive use of armed force, and the use of unconventional weapons.

The bill criminalizes what lawmakers have called the glorification of French colonialism in any form, including acts, written statements, and videos, and provides for penalties of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $7,720 for those found guilty. It does not provide a precise definition of what would be considered glorification.

"The draft law is not directed against any people, does not pursue revenge, and does not incite hatred," said Parliament Speaker Ibrahim Bugali earlier this month.

"Rather, it is based on the well-established principle that crimes against humanity cannot be erased over time, justified by force, or kept silent," he continued.

• In 2022, the Polish populist party Law and Justice demanded berlin to pay more than 1 trillion euros in reparations for the war. At that time, Germany rejected these demands, noting that "the issue is closed" through a series of postwar agreements.
• September 1, 2025, Navrotsky, during celebrations on the occasion of the 86th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, stated the need to obtain reparations from Germany.