France set to repeal Code Noir as reparations debate intensifies

French lawmakers are scheduled to vote on Thursday to formally repeal the Code Noir, a 1685 decree issued by King Louis XIV that regulated slavery in French colonies. Although slavery was abolished in France in 1848, the Code Noir was never formally rescinded, remaining on the statute books for nearly two centuries. President Emmanuel Macron has characterised the law’s continued existence as an "offence" and a symbol of historical indifference, though he has not issued a formal apology or committed to financial reparations.

The bill, proposed by Max Mathiasin, a lawmaker from Guadeloupe, is expected to be adopted by the National Assembly. Mathiasin revealed he had purchased copies of the text over the years but had never read it in full until recently. He described the vote as a means of restoring the humanity of his ancestors and upholding the Republican promise of liberty, equality, and fraternity in a nation where he argues systemic inequality persists.

Critics, including slavery expert Florence Alexis and Pierre-Yves Bocquet of the Foundation for the Memory of Slavery, argue the repeal is symbolic and commits the state to nothing concrete regarding systemic racism or economic inequality. Bocquet described the Code Noir as the birthplace of France’s "colonial exception," a principle allowing the suspension of the Republic’s founding rights for those under its rule, which he claims outlived the empire.

The debate reopens discussions on colonial history and reparations, with critics arguing the symbolic act does not address systemic racism or economic inequality in France's overseas departments. These territories, including Guadeloupe and Martinique, remain among France’s poorest, with unemployment rates roughly double the mainland average. Despite being full French departments since 1946, residents argue they are treated as less equal to mainland citizens.

On the 25th anniversary of the Taubira law, Macron floated the idea of reparations, describing it as a question France "must not refuse," while warning against "false promises." He defined repair primarily as truth-telling and historical work rather than financial compensation. This stance follows France’s abstention on a recent UN General Assembly vote calling the trans-Atlantic slave trade a crime against humanity, drawing criticism from opposition lawmakers who accuse the President of colonial behaviour.