Colonialism on trial

For decades, Algeria’s history was debated, denied, and distorted. On Wednesday, Parliament put an end to that ambiguity. 

Algeria’s National People’s Assembly unanimously passed a landmark law criminalizing French colonialism, marking what lawmakers described as an act of justice, memory, and national duty. The vote crowned months of parliamentary work and broad national consensus, affirming Algeria’s sovereign right to tell its own history and defend its collective memory.

The historic session was charged with emotion and symbolism. Mohamed Lahcen Zeghidi, head of the Presidential Commission for History and Memory, called the law a “solemn oath” to the martyrs and future generations, stressing that it is not an act of revenge, but of truth and recognition. “Whoever carries this flag will never glorify colonialism,” he declared, urging parliaments around the world to follow Algeria’s lead.

The Minister of Moudjahidine, Abdelmalek Tacherift, described the law as a matter of historical justice, denouncing the crimes of colonialism and calling for full acknowledgment and responsibility. Lawmakers echoed the same message: the era of tutelage is over. Algeria, they said, will no longer allow its past to be denied, distorted, or glorified at the expense of its people.

More than a law, this vote was framed as a second independence one achieved not by arms, but by truth, dignity, and the power of memory.