Macron Calls for National Dialogue on Reparations for Slavery

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a national dialogue on the issue of reparations for slavery, marking a significant shift in the country's official stance on its colonial past. The announcement came during a ceremony at the Élysée Palace on Thursday commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Taubira law, which in 2001 made France the first country to recognize the transatlantic slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity.

In his speech, Macron stated that the immense question of reparations must be addressed and must not be refused. He cautioned, however, against making false promises, emphasizing the profound difficulty of the task. We must have the honesty to say that we can never fully repair this crime, because it is impossible, Macron said. You will never one day be able to put a number on it, or find words that would bring this history to a close. He indicated that no final decision had been made on the form or framework for any potential reparatory justice.

Concurrently, Macron announced a move to formally repeal the Code Noir, a series of 17th and 18th century royal decrees that regulated slavery in French colonies. He described the continued...