Slavery: Parliament symbolically repeals the Black Code

On October 20, the French Parliament voted to symbolically repeal the Code Noir and other texts related to slavery, a move supported by President Macron. The law, proposed by Guadeloupean MP Max Mathiasin, aims to formally remove remnants of slavery from French law, despite their previous lack of legal effect. The initiative emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the history of slavery and its legacy, while also addressing ongoing racism. However, the law does not tackle the contentious issue of reparations for descendants of enslaved people, which some senators believe should be included. Critics have pointed out the law's incompleteness, particularly regarding texts governing slavery in the Indian Ocean.