Overview

• Prime Minister François Bayrou pledged to present a bill to Parliament to formally abolish the Code Noir, a 1685 royal ordinance regulating slavery in French colonies.
• The Code Noir, which prescribed severe punishments for enslaved individuals, has remained unrepealed despite abolition decrees in 1794 and 1848.
• Bayrou admitted he was unaware of the legal oversight until questioned by Deputy Laurent Panifous, who called for its formal repeal.
• The announcement follows France's May 10 commemoration of the slave trade and abolition, highlighting the need for symbolic justice.
• Bayrou expressed hope for unanimous parliamentary support to reconcile the Republic with its colonial past.