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France officially repeals the Code noir slavery laws
The French Parliament has officially repealed the Code noir, the legal framework that governed slavery in French colonies. While the law was formally abolished in 1848, the royal decrees from 1685 had never been explicitly removed from the French legal corpus, remaining as dormant vestiges.
The legislation, proposed by Guadeloupean deputy Max Mathiasin, was passed unanimously by the Senate following its prior adoption by the National Assembly. The repeal is primarily symbolic, as the laws had no practical legal effect for nearly two centuries. However, the act serves as a formal recognition of the crimes against humanity associated with the slave trade.
As part of the bill, the government is required to submit a report to Parliament within one year regarding the legacy of colonial law in overseas territories. This report will examine the contemporary economic, social, and cultural consequences of colonial legal structures, specifically focusing on their links to racism and discrimination, as well as the role of slavery in school curricula.
Entities
Aurore Bergé · Emmanuel Macron · France · French Parliament · Max Mathiasin · Naïma Moutchou
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The bill includes a requirement for the government to submit a report on the legacy of colonial law and its lasting effects, particularly regarding racism. lesinguliersete.fr · information.tv5monde.com · outremers360.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The National Assembly adopted the bill on May 28, 2026, with 254 votes and no opposition. zantray-news.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The repeal is described as a symbolic gesture with no practical legal impact, as slavery had been abolished in 1848. lesinguliersete.fr · information.tv5monde.com · outremers360.com · novini247.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Code noir classified human beings as movable property. lesinguliersete.fr · information.tv5monde.com · outremers360.com · zantray-news.com · novini247.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The law explicitly repeals the March 1685 royal decree concerning enslaved people in the French Antilles. zantray-news.com · novini247.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The French Senate unanimously approved the bill proposed by Guadeloupean deputy Max Mathiasin. lesinguliersete.fr · information.tv5monde.com · outremers360.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The bill includes an evaluation of the place of the history of slavery in school curricula. zantray-news.com · outremers360.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The report will examine the link between colonial law and contemporary racism and discrimination. zantray-news.com · lesinguliersete.fr · information.tv5monde.com · outremers360.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The government must submit a report within one year on the legacy of colonial law and its contemporary consequences. zantray-news.com · lesinguliersete.fr · information.tv5monde.com · outremers360.com