France is set to accelerate the return of African cultural heritage through a new bill that allows the government to bypass parliamentary approval for restitutions an attempt to simplify the complex and slow-moving process of repatriating looted artefacts from its colonial era. The law, presented by Culture Minister Rachida Dati to the French cabinet on Wednesday, aligns with a 2017 commitment by President Emmanuel Macron to return African artefacts as a top priority.
The bill targets the restitution of cultural property taken through illegal means including theft, looting, or force between 1815 and 1972 during France’s colonial rule. Under the proposed legislation, the French government could return such objects by decree, eliminating the current requirement of passing a new law for each restitution an often years-long process that has hindered France’s efforts compared to nations like Germany, which has already returned over 1,000 items.
“This is a powerful act and a powerful ambition for peace, for recognition of memory, and for the renewal of our relations with countries that were wronged,” Dati said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
France’s past efforts have been criticized as sluggish. Since Macron’s 2017 declaration in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, only a handful of artefacts have been returned. One of the most recent was a sacred drum taken by colonial forces from the Ebrie tribe in Ivory Coast in 1916.
Despite the bill’s promise, bureaucratic hurdles remain. Catherine Morin-Desailly, a senator and member of the French Senate Culture Committee, cautioned that each artefact will still require detailed documentation and validation. A bilateral scientific committee must first establish proof of illicit acquisition, followed by final approval from France’s top administrative court, the Conseil d’Etat. Furthermore, only artefacts intended for public display are eligible, and exclusions include military items, public archives, and archaeological finds.
Critics argue the bill is being rushed without adequate oversight. Senator Pierre Ouzoulias of the cultural commission criticized the move, suggesting it may be politically motivated. He advocated for an independent scientific body to oversee the process and warned that France has not yet fully reckoned with its colonial legacy.
France currently houses tens of thousands of African cultural objects in its museums and collections. Countries such as Senegal, Chad, Ethiopia, and Algeria have made formal restitution requests. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill on September 24, 2025, a decision that could reshape France’s relationship with its colonial past and with African nations seeking justice and cultural restoration.
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