Algerian Parliament: “Time to Criminalize French Colonialism”

In notable remarks, the Speaker of Algeria’s National People’s Assembly, Ibrahim Boughali, told Echorouk TV that the time had come to abandon a defensive stance and take the initiative in defending Algeria by proposing a law to criminalize colonialism. He emphasized that this move is being made in the name of the Algerian people, not any political party or bloc. His comments come amid an unprecedented diplomatic crisis between Algeria and France.

Boughali stated that “the path is now clear to draft a law criminalizing colonialism,” following the lifting of political reservations regarding previous proposals for such a law. He pointed to alignment between the foreign policy set by the President and parliamentary diplomacy, which, according to him, follows the president’s general approach and enjoys broad support among all parliamentary parties.

Explaining the rationale for the law, Boughali said, “The ongoing hostile French campaigns aimed at tarnishing Algeria’s reputation make this law necessary.” He stressed the importance of shifting from defense to offense, adding, “The time for attack has come.” As a member of the ruling majority, Boughali affirmed that there would be zero tolerance for any attempt to undermine Algeria’s credibility, declaring, “This country is a trust left to us by the martyrs, and we are responsible for preserving and protecting it.”

Boughali asserted that Algeria possesses ample evidence to prove France’s crimes, stating that “France has not been honest, and it is time to set the record straight.” He also condemned the display of Algerian resistance fighters’ skulls in the Musée de l’Homme in Paris as an act of provocation.

Regarding recent provocative statements by French officials, particularly far-right Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, Boughali remarked, “Yesterday’s enemy still believes Algeria is a colony. We are free, our decisions are sovereign, and the choice always belongs to the people.” He also noted that “France has been unsettled by Algeria’s economic restrictions and its policy of equal footing, prompting irresponsible reactions from French officials.”

Boughali recalled that the Algerian parliament had previously proposed a law criminalizing colonialism in 2006 in response to a 2005 French law glorifying colonial rule, under the presidency of Jacques Chirac. However, the Algerian law was blocked under various pretexts, including the desire to maintain relations with France. Since then, it has been used as a political bargaining chip whenever tensions between the two countries escalated, but without any real intention of passing it.

During President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s first term, there were attempts to revive the law, but they were unsuccessful. In February 2020, 50 members of the National People’s Assembly proposed a law criminalizing colonialism, demanding that France acknowledge its crimes during its occupation of Algeria from 1830 to 1962 and offer an official apology. The proposal emphasized that the most serious crimes—genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes—have no statute of limitations.

The proposed law held the French state responsible for all crimes committed by its forces against the Algerian people during the occupation. It stated that Algeria had suffered horrific crimes, the effects of which persist to this day. The lawmakers cited confessions from former French war criminals who openly boasted about exterminating entire tribes, burning villages, and wiping out families—including women, children, and elders—across the country.

However, this proposal, drafted by Islamist lawmakers, was never passed. At the time, MP Nasser Hamdadouche from the Movement of Society for Peace claimed on his official page that efforts to push the law forward were being obstructed. He questioned why the fifth attempt by parliamentarians to pass such a law was being thwarted despite meeting all legal requirements and being formally submitted.

In 2021, following the election of a new parliament, over 100 MPs submitted another proposal to criminalize colonialism. MP Belkhir Zakaria submitted the draft on behalf of its sponsors, coinciding with the anniversary of the Algerian War of Independence, which began on November 1, 1954. Yet, this initiative also remained stalled.

Observers believe that the current political climate makes it an opportune moment to adopt the law, as the situation mirrors the events of 2005 when the French parliament attempted to glorify colonialism. The rise of the far right as a major political force in France has revived rhetoric celebrating colonial rule while completely denying the crimes committed against Algerians.

In a recent statement, Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally party, claimed that “French colonialism in Algeria was not a tragedy.” Speaking on LCI TV on Wednesday, she said, “I understand that people wanted independence, but I don’t believe colonialism was a tragedy for Algeria.” Le Pen, whose father served in the French army during the Algerian War, argued that “France contributed to Algeria economically, through infrastructure and investment, allowing it to develop into the ‘Norway of North Africa.’”

In 2017, Le Pen had similarly claimed that colonialism “brought a lot” to Algeria and other countries, citing hospitals and roads. She also criticized Algerians for leaving their country instead of building their own wealth, saying, “What do the Algerians who gained independence do? They leave, flee, and come to France. That is a declaration of failure by their leaders—it’s terrible.”

Most Algerians dismiss such remarks as blatant historical distortions. The French colonial administration built infrastructure to serve European settlers, while the indigenous Algerians lived in extreme poverty and illiteracy. President Tebboune has repeatedly stated that Algeria lost 5.63 million martyrs over 132 years of colonial rule and continues to demand full recognition from France of its crimes as a prerequisite for establishing normal bilateral relations.