French Senate Repeals Code Noir, Ending Colonial Slavery Law

On October 20, 2026, the French Senate voted to repeal the Code Noir, a colonial-era law that regulated slavery in French colonies. This decision comes more than 175 years after France abolished slavery for the second and final time in 1848.

The legislation was unanimously adopted by the lower house of Parliament in May. The Code Noir, introduced in 1685 under King Louis XIV, governed various aspects of enslaved people's lives, including punishment and religious practices.

Although the provisions had long been obsolete, their formal removal from French law is seen as an act of historical recognition and reparative justice. Max Mathiasin, a centrist lawmaker from Guadeloupe who championed the bill, stated that the repeal signifies that such provisions should not exist in French law.

The legislation also mandates a report within a year to identify remaining colonial law provisions in overseas territories and their contemporary impacts, including discrimination and racism.