• French lawmakers approve colonial-era restitution framework unanimously

• Law enables returns by decree, replacing case-by-case legislation

• Disputes persist over scope; no timeline or objects specified

After several hours of debate on Monday, French lawmakers approved legislation setting out a framework for the restitution of cultural property looted during the colonial era. Local media reported that only about a third of deputies were present in the National Assembly chamber, but the bill was adopted unanimously.

A shift toward a streamlined process

The restitution of African heritage now has a legal basis. The vote marks a break from the case-by-case approach France has used since 2020, when each return required a separate act of parliament.

The new law covers the period from the expansion of France’s second colonial empire to the adoption of the UNESCO convention on cultural property.

Until now, restitutions depended on individual legislative acts — a slow and uncertain process often delayed by a crowded parliamentary agenda. Under the new system, returns can be authorized by government decree, subject to oversight by the Council of State.

Each case will also be reviewed by two bodies, one scientific and one parliamentary. Culture Minister Catherine Pégard said the law is “neither defensive nor apologetic” and aims to “streamline future restitutions.”

Persistent divisions over scope

The legislation includes exclusions that remain contentious.

Franck Ogou, director of the African Heritage School in Benin, told Le Monde the debate had been “one-sided,” noting that African countries still lack access to thousands of objects held in French museum reserves.

“I fear that in the end France will only return what it chooses,” he said, highlighting what he called significant uncertainty around the definition of war plunder.

Parliamentary debates reflected broader divisions. The far-right National Rally argued that restitutions should depend on “cordial” diplomatic relations. Green lawmakers criticized the absence of the word “colonization” in the text, while France Unbowed called for a broader scope.

Several countries continue to press claims. Mali and Senegal are awaiting the return of artefacts from the Ségou treasure. Algeria is seeking personal items belonging to Emir Abdelkader. Benin has requested the statue of the god Gou, still held at the Quai Branly museum in Paris, which houses around 70,000 objects of African origin.

An unresolved legal and political issue

The vote is the latest step in a long-running legal impasse. France’s principle of inalienability of public collections has historically prevented the transfer of state-owned artefacts without parliamentary approval.

The bill was introduced in the Senate in July 2025 and approved there in January 2026 before passing the lower house after several months of debate.

It completes a set of three laws adopted since 2023, alongside legislation on Nazi-looted property and on human remains.

The initiative traces back to President Emmanuel Macron’s speech in Ouagadougou on Nov. 28, 2017, when he pledged to create conditions within five years for the return of African heritage.

Eight years on, the new law represents a concrete step. It does not, however, specify which objects will be returned or when. For now, it marks the start of a process rather than its conclusion.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou