As he enters the final months of his term, Macron is facing calls to initiate a formal discussion on how to address the legacies of slavery in French society. This comes amid rising political tensions over racism and as the far right gains traction ahead of the 2027 presidential election. A key point of controversy is France’s recent abstention in a UN vote that described the transatlantic slave trade as the ‘gravest crime against humanity’ and called for reparations as a means to ‘remedy historical wrongs,’ according to The Guardian.

UN Vote and Diplomatic Fallout

France, along with the UK and other European nations, abstained from the March 2024 UN General Assembly vote, a decision that angered many countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The resolution passed with 123 votes in favor, 52 abstentions—encompassing all EU countries—and three votes against: Argentina, the United States, and Israel, as the text explicitly labeled the transatlantic slave trade as the ‘gravest crime against humanity’ and called for reparations across various areas. French historian Myriam Cottias. An expert on Caribbean slavery, criticized the abstention as a mistake, according to Mediapart.

Historical Responsibility and Public Outcry

France was the third-largest trafficker of enslaved people between the 16th and 19th centuries, after Portugal and Britain; the country was responsible for kidnapping and enslaving approximately 13% of the estimated 13 to 17 million men, women, and children forcibly taken from Africa. Victorin Lurel. A senator from Guadeloupe. Wrote an open letter to Macron. Stating that the abstention had been a ‘moral, historic, diplomatic and political mistake’ and that France had ‘tarnished’ its international image. Meanwhile, Dieudonné Boutrin, a descendant of enslaved Africans and head of the International Federation of Descendants of the History of Slavery, is among those urging a dialogue on reparatory justice.

Boutrin is working alongside Pierre Guillon de Princé, a descendant of 18th-century slave-ship owners in Nantes, who recently issued a formal apology for his ancestors’ role in transporting about 4,500 enslaved Africans to the Caribbean, at least 200 of whom died at sea. This gesture highlights the growing personal and institutional efforts to confront France’s colonial past.

25th Anniversary and Political Momentum

With the 25th anniversary of France’s 2001 law recognizing the slave trade as a crime against humanity approaching, the Élysée is preparing an event on May 21 to mark the occasion. Former justice minister Christiane Taubira, who championed the law, is expected to attend, along with foreign leaders from multiple continents. Officials close to Macron suggest that ‘no taboos’ will be observed in his speech, and that he will ‘broach the issue of reparations,’ according to Mediapart.

The law, enacted on May 21, 2001, made France the first country to formally recognize the slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity. While the government has yet to outline a clear reparatory strategy, the upcoming anniversary has added momentum to calls for a more concrete national dialogue on the subject. As pressure mounts from civil society, historians, and diaspora groups, Macron’s response will be closely watched by both domestic and international audiences.