France Repeals 'Code Noir'

The lower house of the French parliament unanimously voted to repeal the 'Code noir', a series of 17th and 18th-century royal decrees that legally defined enslaved people in its colonies as 'movable goods'. Although slavery was abolished in France>>> in 1848 and recognized as a 'crime against humanity' in 2001, these decrees were never formally overturned. The repeal is a symbolic step to address France>>>'s colonial legacy and acknowledge historical injustices. President Emmanuel Macron>>> supported the move and raised the issue of reparations, though without specific proposals. Lawmakers like Max Mathiasin>>> and Steevy Gustave>>> championed the bill, emphasizing its importance for justice and recognition. Activists from former colonies like France — Martinique>>> and France — Guadeloupe>>>, including Dieudonné Boutrin>>> and Serge Letchimy>>>, advocate for concrete reparations, citing the lasting harm caused by slavery and historical debts, such as the 'double debt' paid by Haiti>>> to France>>>.