Diplomatic tensions between Algeria and France took a sharp turn last month, as Algeria moved to legally redefine France’s colonial past as a crime with direct political consequences today. The move is the latest sign of sharply deteriorating relations between Algiers and Paris. Some observers say ties are now at their lowest point since Algeria gained independence 63 years ago.
France ruled Algeria from 1830 to 1962, a period marked by mass killings and large-scale deportations that culminated in a brutal war of independence. Algeria says the conflict claimed 1.5 million lives, a figure French historians dispute.
Algiers Turns History Into a Legal Weapon
On December 24, Algeria’s National People’s Assembly unanimously adopted a law declaring France’s colonization of Algeria a crime. The law goes further than symbolic condemnation, formally demanding full reparations and official apologies from Paris for crimes committed during the
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