Algeria’s Senate has called for revisions to a controversial law that declares French colonisation (1830–1962) a crime and demands both an apology and reparations from France. The move introduces a new phase of legislative debate several weeks after the lower house of Parliament unanimously approved the bill.
The Senate’s objections focus on specific articles related to financial compensation and reparations, which it says do not fully reflect the position of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who has maintained that Algeria seeks formal recognition of crimes rather than monetary restitution. Because the Senate does not have direct power to amend the law passed by the lower chamber, a joint committee of both chambers will now work to reconcile disputed provisions before the legislation is finalised.
The original bill, adopted on 24 December 2025, classifies French colonisation as a crime with “legal responsibility” and lists a range of state crimes, from extrajudicial killings and torture to nuclear tests and resource plunder. Paris has condemned the legislation as “clearly hostile,” reflecting tensions in Franco-Algerian relations already exacerbated by disagreements over Western Sahara and other diplomatic issues.
The Senate’s call for review highlights continuing political debate within Algeria over how best to frame historical accountability — balancing symbolic denunciation, diplomatic repercussions, and domestic political consensus.
