Algiers – On Saturday, December 20, 2025, Algeria's People's National Assembly (APN), the lower house of parliament, formally commenced debate on a controversial draft law aimed at criminalizing France's colonial rule over Algeria from 1830 to 1962. The initiative, presented during a plenary session, represents a significant escalation in Algeria's long-standing demands for historical accountability from its former colonizer.
Speaker of the APN, Ibrahim Boughali, was authorized to introduce the bill, which classifies the 132-year colonial period as a series of state crimes, including mass killings, genocide, forced displacement, torture, land expropriation, cultural erasure, and environmental damage from nuclear tests. In his address to lawmakers, Boughali described the legislation as far more than a routine parliamentary measure.
"This session is not a routine parliamentary procedure; rather, it is a supreme act of sovereignty, a clear moral stance, and an unambiguous political message, expressing Algeria’s commitment to its inalienable rights and its loyalty to the sacrifices of its people and the message of its martyrs," Boughali stated. He portrayed the bill as a pivotal moment in modern Algerian history, reaffirming the nation's dedication to preserving national memory and historical truth.
Boughali characterized French colonization as "a project of uprooting and annihilation," emphasizing that land was systematically seized from Algerian owners and redistributed to European settlers. He further accused the colonial administration of implementing policies of "systematic impoverishment, starvation, and exclusion" designed to shatter the Algerian people's resilience, obliterate their identity, and disconnect them from their cultural and historical heritage.
The draft law is scheduled for a vote on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, alongside other legislative items. If passed, it would mark an unprecedented legal step, potentially prohibiting the glorification or justification of colonialism, with penalties including imprisonment and fines. The bill also asserts that colonial crimes are not subject to statutes of limitations and reaffirms Algeria's right to seek official recognition, apologies, and compensation from France.
This development revives efforts that date back years. Similar proposals emerged in response to a 2005 French law highlighting the "positive role" of colonialism, and again in 2021 when over 100 Algerian lawmakers supported related initiatives. Earlier in 2025, parliamentary commissions were formed to refine the text, incorporating demands for cleanup of nuclear test sites, return of archives, and reparations.
The timing of the debate coincides with one of the most severe crises in Algerian-French relations in recent decades. Tensions have been exacerbated by France's 2024 decision to recognize Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara—a territory disputed since Spain's withdrawal in 1975. Algeria, a staunch supporter of the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination, views Paris's shift as a betrayal, prompting the recall of its ambassador and other retaliatory measures.
The Western Sahara issue has long strained regional dynamics, with Algeria hosting Sahrawi refugees and backing independence efforts, while Morocco controls most of the territory. France's alignment with Morocco, alongside similar positions from the United States and Spain, has deepened Algiers' sense of isolation on this front.
Broader frictions include disputes over migration, visa policies, consular cooperation, and allegations of arbitrary detentions. Algeria has accused France of provocative actions, while Paris has criticized Algiers over issues like the treatment of dual nationals and repatriation of migrants. These strains have impacted economic ties, though trade remains substantial.
Observers interpret the bill's advancement as a symbolic assertion of sovereignty amid these tensions, reinforcing Algeria's narrative of historical injustice. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's administration has consistently prioritized the "memory file" in bilateral dealings, insisting on French acknowledgment of colonial atrocities as a prerequisite for normalized relations.
French officials have yet to issue a direct response to the latest parliamentary developments, but past reactions to similar initiatives have ranged from dismissal to calls for moving beyond historical grievances. The bill's potential passage could further complicate diplomacy, potentially affecting cooperation in security, energy, and migration—areas where the two nations have interdependent interests.
As debate proceeds, the legislation underscores Algeria's ongoing reckoning with its colonial past, resonating with broader African calls for reparations and accountability. The outcome of Wednesday's vote will be closely watched, both domestically and internationally, as a barometer of Algiers' resolve in confronting historical legacies.
