Bangladesh, Dec. 22 -- Algerias parliament has opened debate on a draft law that would formally criminalize more than 130 years of French colonial rule, a move that reflects enduring historical grievances and threatens to further strain already fragile relations with Paris. Framed by Algerian officials as a long-overdue act of historical justice, the proposed legislation seeks not only to condemn colonial-era abuses but also to assert state authority over national memory in the face of what Algiers views as persistent denial and minimization by France.

The bill was introduced during a plenary session of the Peoples National Assembly on December 21 by its speaker, Ibrahim Boughali. Lawmakers discussed the structure and intent of the draft...