France Officially Repeals Historic Slavery-Era Code Noir

(MENAFN) France’s Senate unanimously approved the formal repeal of the Code Noir on Tuesday, removing a set of royal decrees introduced by King Louis XIV in 1685 that governed slavery and established the legal status, obligations and restrictions of enslaved people and their owners across the French colonial empire.

The Senate’s decision follows a unanimous vote by the National Assembly in May, completing the legislative process to abolish the historic framework, according to reports.

Under the Code Noir, enslaved people were legally treated as movable property and could be bought and sold. The decrees also imposed severe penalties on those who attempted to escape, including mutilation, branding and execution.

Although slavery was abolished in French colonies in 1848, the royal decrees and associated legal provisions remained formally embedded in French legislation despite no longer having legal force.

The newly approved legislation also obliges the government to prepare a report assessing the lasting impact of colonial-era laws, particularly their links to racism, as well as how the history of slavery is taught in French schools.

However, the measure does not include provisions addressing reparations for slavery, a demand that continues to be raised in several French overseas territories.

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