By Frank Ulom
ALGIERS (CONVERSEER) – Algeria’s Senate has called for revisions to a landmark bill declaring France’s 1830–1962 colonisation of Algeria a crime, opening a legislative rift weeks after the lower house unanimously adopted the law.
The bill, passed by the National People’s Assembly on December 24, classifies French colonial rule as a crime carrying “legal responsibility” and demands an official apology and reparations from Paris. However, the upper chamber has raised objections to specific provisions, particularly those linked to financial compensation.
Under Algeria’s legislative process, the Senate cannot directly amend the bill. A joint parliamentary committee is now expected to reconcile differences between both chambers before the law can proceed.
The disagreement reflects President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s long-stated position that Algeria is “not tempted by money” but is instead seeking formal recognition of colonial crimes rather than financial restitution.
The proposed law has further strained diplomatic relations between Algiers and Paris, already tense following France’s recent endorsement of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. French authorities have described the Algerian legislation as “clearly hostile”.
The text of the bill details a range of alleged colonial crimes, including nuclear weapons tests, extrajudicial killings, systematic torture, and the large-scale plundering of natural resources. It asserts that “full and fair compensation” for these actions remains an “inalienable right” of the Algerian people.
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The legislation also revives a long-running historical dispute over the human toll of the Algerian war of independence. Algerian authorities maintain that 1.5 million Algerians were killed during the conflict, a figure French historians dispute, placing total deaths at around 500,000, including an estimated 400,000 Algerians.
Although French President Emmanuel Macron previously described colonisation as a “crime against humanity”, France has stopped short of issuing a formal state apology. As Algeria’s legislative process continues, the issue remains a potent symbol of unresolved historical trauma between the two countries.
