France to Debate Returning Art Stolen During Colonial Era

French lawmakers will soon debate a new bill. This bill could make it easier to return cultural artifacts taken from Africa during the colonial period. The proposed law aims to create a clear legal process for restitution. Currently, French national collections are protected as "inalienable" property. This makes returning items very difficult and requires a special law for each individual case. The debate comes after years of growing pressure. Countries including Algeria, Mali, and Benin have formally requested the return of looted treasures. These items are now held in French museums. If passed, the bill would allow the government to approve returns through a simpler parliamentary vote. This would apply to objects taken through "violence or plunder" between 1885 and 1960. The move follows President Emmanuel Macron's 2017 pledge to temporarily or permanently return African cultural heritage within five years. While a few items have been returned since then, the process has been slow and complex. This new bill seeks to change that.