French lawmakers voted unanimously to repeal the “Code Noir,” a slavery-era legal framework that governed enslaved people in France’s colonial territories, marking a symbolic step in the country’s ongoing reckoning with its colonial history. The vote in the National Assembly drew emotional reactions from lawmakers with ancestral ties to formerly enslaved communities and renewed debate over reparations and racial inequality across France’s overseas territories.
The National Assembly approved the repeal by a 254-0 vote on Thursday, removing from French law a set of royal decrees first introduced in 1685 under King Louis XIV. Although slavery was abolished in France in 1848, the “Code Noir” had never been formally repealed. Official parliamentary reporting and international coverage confirmed the legislation now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
The laws regulated slavery across French colonies and classified enslaved people as property while authorizing severe punishments and restrictions. Historical reporting cited by international media stated the decrees played a central role in France’s colonial slave system, which transported more than one million Africans to French-controlled territories between the 17th and 19th centuries.
Emotional Debate Inside Parliament
The parliamentary session became deeply emotional as lawmakers from France’s Caribbean territories reflected on the legacy of slavery and colonialism.
Steevy Gustave, a member of parliament from Martinique and a descendant of enslaved people, told lawmakers that while the repeal was necessary, “no vote alone can repair centuries of shattered lives,” according to Associated Press reporting.
Max Mathiasin, a legislator from Guadeloupe who introduced the bill, described the repeal as a restoration of dignity for descendants of enslaved people. International reporting showed lawmakers in the chamber visibly emotional during the vote.
France formally abolished slavery in 1848 after briefly restoring it under Napoleon Bonaparte in the early 19th century. In 2001, the French state officially recognized slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as crimes against humanity.
Colonial Legacy Remains Central Issue
The repeal has intensified broader discussions over racism, economic inequality and the political status of France’s overseas territories, where many residents are descendants of enslaved Africans.
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Pierre-Yves Bocquet, deputy director of the Foundation for the Memory of Slavery, described the “Code Noir” as the foundation of a “colonial exception,” according to AP reporting, referring to historical policies that suspended equal rights in colonial territories.
Critics of the legislation argued that symbolic legal changes alone do not address longstanding disparities between mainland France and overseas regions such as Guadeloupe and Martinique. Reuters reported that some lawmakers expressed disappointment that the repeal bill did not include reparations measures or broader structural reforms.
French President Emmanuel Macron publicly supported repealing the slavery-era legislation but stopped short of endorsing financial reparations. International reporting indicated Macron acknowledged the historical weight of the issue while warning against what he described as “false promises” surrounding reparations debates.
International Debate Over Historical Accountability
The repeal comes as several former colonial powers face renewed scrutiny over slavery, colonial-era abuses and historical accountability.
France was one of Europe’s largest participants in the transatlantic slave trade, with historians estimating that approximately 1.4 million Africans were enslaved under French colonial systems.
While supporters described the repeal as an overdue moral correction, some activists and lawmakers argued that further action is needed to address economic inequality, racial discrimination and the long-term consequences of colonial rule.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional legislation linked to reparations or institutional reform will follow.
