France has only just officially abolished the “Black Code”, which allowed slaves to be treated as property

France has officially repealed the Code Noir, a 17th-century law that allowed slaves to be treated as property. The document remained in effect almost 180 years after slavery was abolished in the country.

The Guardian writes about this.

The decision was unanimously supported by 254 MPs of the French National Assembly. During the discussion, officials said they were shocked that the document had not yet been formally repealed.

The "Black Code" was adopted in the 17th century, it consisted of 60 articles and regulated the life of slaves in the French colonies. The articles allowed beating, selling, mutilating, raping and killing slaves. For escape, slaves could have their body parts cut off, and their testimony in court had no force.

The author of the bill is Guadeloupe MP Max Mathiasin. He said that France should not reject the topic of possible reparations for the descendants of slaves, but at the same time the country "should not make false promises".

What is known about slavery in France?

France was the worldʼs third largest slave trader, after Britain and Portugal. Historical estimates suggest that the country exported nearly 1.4 million Africans to plantations in its colonies. The French cities of Nantes and Bordeaux were the largest beneficiaries of slave labor.

Despite the abolition of slavery, France retained some of its colonies. Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and Réunion are now French overseas territories. They are home to approximately 1.9 million people, most of whom are descendants of slaves. These regions remain among the poorest in France.

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