Macron Calls for Scrapping Historic French Slave Laws, Launches Study on Lasting Harms

PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday that he wants France to formally repeal historic decrees known as the “Code Noir,” a set of laws that legally codified slavery in French colonies for centuries.

The Code Noir, first introduced in 1685, regulated the condition of enslaved people in French territories across the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and other colonies. The laws defined enslaved individuals as movable property and imposed harsh restrictions, including banning public assembly and marriage without their owners’ permission.

Speaking at an event focused on colonial history, Macron said the decrees no longer reflect the values of the French Republic. “These laws do not match the principles France claims to stand for today,” he said, adding that France must speak honestly about the “pain and the lasting effects” of slavery on Black communities and former colonies.

However, the president also struck a cautious note on the question of financial reparations, a topic that has gained momentum among activists and some Caribbean nations. “France must not make promises it cannot keep on reparations,” Macron warned, signaling that symbolic and educational initiatives may take precedence over direct compensation.

In a concrete step forward, Macron announced a new research partnership with Ghana to examine the contemporary impact of the slave trade. The joint project will focus on how the legacy of forced displacement and enslavement continues to shape social and economic conditions today.

The announcement was met with a mixed response. Some historians and anti-discrimination groups welcomed the move to scrap the Code Noir as overdue, while others urged Macron to go further by creating a formal commission on reparations.

The French presidency has not yet provided a timeline for the repeal, but officials said the issue would be brought before parliament in the coming months.