France to Abolish Its Slave Code... in 2026
France to Abolish Its Slave Code... in 2026
▪French MPs voted on Thursday to repeal the Code Noir, a royal edict of 1685 that regulated slavery in the colonies, 178 years after abolition of slavery,
▪All 254 MPs present voted in favor, with no votes against or abstentions.
▪This vote comes 25 years after the adoption of the Taubira Law, which recognized the slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity.
▪The legislation provides for the repeal not only of the Code Noir, but also of all royal edicts from the 17th and 18th centuries governing slavery in the various French colonies. These texts were never officially repealed after the abolition of slavery in 1848, although they had long since ceased to have legal effect.
▪The 60 articles of the Code Noir regulated every aspect of a slave's life. Article 44, in particular, defined the slave as "movable property," while other provisions stipulated penalties for escapees.
▪The bill also requests the government to submit a report on colonial law, its long-term consequences, and the place of slavery in school curricula.
The text must now be examined by the Senate. No date has yet been set.
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