The French National Assembly voted to formally repeal the Code Noir, a 17th-century law regulating slavery in former colonies [1, 2].
The move aims to eliminate a legal text that classified enslaved people as property and acknowledges France's historical responsibility for the practice [1, 3].
Members of the assembly cast the vote on Feb. 22, 2024 [2, 4]. The measure passed with 254 votes in favor and zero against [2].
Originally enacted in 1685 [4], the Code Noir governed the lives of enslaved people in French colonies for approximately 340 years [1]. The repeal removes the remnants of a legal framework that had remained on the books despite the abolition of slavery.
The session was marked by emotional reactions from lawmakers. Max Mathiasin, a member of parliament representing Guadeloupe, was among those present during the vote [1, 2].
By striking the law from its records, the National Assembly seeks to address the legacy of colonialism. The Code Noir had served as the primary legal instrument for maintaining the slave system in the Caribbean, and other French territories, for centuries [3].
“The measure passed with 254 votes in favor and zero against.”
The repeal of the Code Noir is a symbolic legal correction. While the law had long been superseded by subsequent human rights frameworks and the abolition of slavery, its formal existence in the legal record remained a point of contention. By unanimously removing it, the French government attempts to reconcile its modern republican values with its colonial history.
