The French National Assembly voted unanimously on May 28, 2026 [2], to repeal the Code Noir, a colonial-era slavery law [1].
The move represents a formal effort by the French government to confront its colonial legacy and remove legal remnants that stripped humans of their basic rights.
The Code Noir was originally signed in 1685 [3]. Under its provisions, enslaved people were legally classified as movable property [1]. While France abolished slavery in 1848 [4], the law remained on the books for nearly two centuries after that abolition [5].
Lawmakers in the lower house of Parliament passed the repeal with a vote count of 254-0 [1]. The unanimous decision underscores a cross-party consensus on the necessity of removing the outdated text from the national legal framework.
By repealing the law, the assembly aims to address the historical trauma associated with the Code Noir. The legislation had long been viewed as a symbol of the systemic dehumanization practiced during France's colonial expansion.
The vote took place in Paris, marking the final legislative step in erasing the 1685 decree from the country's active statutes [2].
“The French National Assembly voted unanimously on May 28, 2026, to repeal the Code Noir.”
The repeal of the Code Noir is a symbolic legal correction rather than a change in current criminal or civil practice, as slavery has been illegal in France since 1848. However, the act of formally striking the 1685 law from the record serves as a political acknowledgment of the state's role in institutionalizing slavery, potentially paving the way for further reparations or colonial-era policy reviews.
