A statue named "Chains," by French artist Driss Sans-Arcidet, honoring the memory of the abolition of slavery, is photographed in a park in Paris on May 27, 2026, as France's National Assembly examines a bill to formally repeal the Code noir. Thomas Padilla/AP Photo
French lawmakers voted unanimously on Thursday to formally repeal an archaic slavery-era law still on the statute books, while stopping short of demands for reparations.
Though slavery was abolished by France in 1848, the “Code noir” had never been repealed. The legislation stems from the 1685 royal decree of King Louis XIV, which governed enslaved people as ”movable property” within French colonies.
Rachel Roberts is a London-based journalist with a background in local then national news. She focuses on health and education stories and has a particular interest in vaccines and issues impacting children.
