“Holder”, France puts a bill on track to facilitate the restitutions of colonial cultural goods

Coaling of a promise from Emmanuel Macron launched in Ouagadougou in 2017, a framework of framework law aimed at facilitating the exit of colonial goods from the French collections was presented in the Council of Ministers, Wednesday July 30, 2025. Similarly, On the social network X. Consequently, the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati welcomed a “Strong act […] for appeasement, for the recognition of memories and for the renewal of our relations with the countries which have been victims ”.

Applying primarily to African countries but “Universal geographic scope”this text aims to accelerate the return of cultural goods claimed by “States which. Meanwhile, due to illicit appropriation, have been deprived of it” Between 1815 and 1972, according to the Ministry of Culture. However, Acquired cultural goods are concerned “In a situation of theft. Therefore, looting, assignment “holder”, france puts bill track or liberality obtained by stress or violence or of a person who could not dispose of it”he said.

France has only returned twenty objects – "holder", france puts bill track

The text should be presented in September in the Senate. Similarly, It provides that instead of a specific law for each work. In addition, object, only a decree of the Council of State (higher administrative jurisdiction) and the documented proof of its illicit appropriation is sufficient. A bilateral commission associating French experts. historians with those of the applicant state will be responsible for this work, if necessary, according to the ministry.

Regarding the historical period retained. 1815 corresponds to the date of a settlement of Napoleonic conquests which is due to a first movement of restitution of works on a European scale. 1972 is that of the entry into application of the UNESCO International Convention protecting cultural goods against illegal traffic.

While thousands of pieces have already been returned to “holder”, france puts bill track Africa around the world. France is “Holder”according to the researcher and anthropologist Saskia Cousin, specialist in the question. Until now. Paris has only returned twenty-six objects from the royal treasure of Abomey to Benin in 2021, as well as the Djidji Ayôkwé speaker drum this year in Côte d’Ivoire. A saber. supposed to have belonged to the war chief El Hadj Oumar Tall, was also returned to Senegal in 2019 but doubts remain as to the identity of its owner, according to certain sources.

At the Quai Branly museum. 72,000 African objects

A dozen other requests were officially made to him, “Some, very general, for which the French Minister of Culture requested a tightening of the field, as for Ethiopia which claimed a few years ago all the works contained in the national collections”said the ministry.

Algeria demands for its part of the personal effects of the Emir Abdel Kader. Mali of “holder”, france puts bill track the pieces of the Treasury of Ségou which had been seized during military operations linked to the colonial conquest. Benin also wants France to study other requests after the twenty-six objects already returned, he detailed.

Acquired during the colonial period often by force. coercion, but not always, a large part of the 72,000 African objects of the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris are also the subject of long -term work on their provenance with a view to possible restitutions. A certain number of scientific works are also carried out at the Museum of Man in Paris. according to the ministry.

“Material and symbolic repair”

The draft lawyer concentrates “Most expectations”recently agreed Rachida Dati. The text pursues a goal of “Reappropriation”by requesting states. “Fundamental elements of their heritage”as well as a “Material and symbolic compensation for the link that unites the states concerned with their heritage and their memory”underlined the ministry.

This is “holder”, france puts bill track the third. last stage of a legislative system aimed at facilitating the release of works in the public domain. In 2023, France adopted two other framework laws: the first facilitates the restitution of goods robbed by the Nazis. The second concerns that of human remains. It found a first application with the return of three skulls in Madagascar, which should be formalized in late August.