L’Assemblée vote à l’unanimité la loi sur la restitution des œuvres pillées pendant la colonisation, mais avec des restrictions
The French National Assembly has unanimously passed a landmark law establishing a permanent legal framework for the restitution of cultural property looted during the colonial era. Moving away from the previous requirement for case-by-case legislation, the new law allows the government to return artifacts via decree following consultations with scientific and parliamentary commissions. This shift fulfills a long-standing promise to simplify the return of African heritage currently held in French public collections.
While the law marks a significant policy evolution, it includes controversial restrictions that have sparked debate among lawmakers and historians. The framework only applies to objects acquired between 1815 and 1972, excluding older spoils like Napoleonic-era Egyptian antiquities, and introduces a contentious amendment requiring recipient nations to provide guarantees for the works' conservation. These limitations highlight the ongoing tension between France's desire for diplomatic reconciliation and its commitment to the principle of inalienability in national museums.