Marine Le Pen pays tribute to the Harkis and denounces their abandonment by those in charge at the time.
On this national day of tribute to the Harkis, we bow before the memory of these men who served France during the Algerian War, and of their families who suffered the dramatic consequences of history. Their tragedy remains a wound as raw as ever. We cannot recall without indignation the accounts of the abandonment of these Muslims who chose to sacrifice their lives to remain French. We cannot forget the moral bankruptcy of those who, then in positions of responsibility, shirked their duties, turned their backs on their honor by abandoning them to their fate, leaving an indelible stain on our history.
On September 25, 2026, Marine Le Pen paid tribute to the Harkis and their families in a message posted on Facebook. In it, she denounced the abandonment of these former auxiliaries of the French army after the Algerian War. This observation is not merely a political statement: this abandonment is now enshrined in law. But the memory of the Harkis cannot be reduced to a single ceremony or a single account of their service.
The main fact
Marine Le Pen criticizes French officials of the time for leaving Harkis exposed to violence after the end of the Algerian War. Her message also emphasizes the consequences suffered by their families. The law of February 23, 2022, explicitly recognizes the abandonment of Harkis and other members of auxiliary forces who served France in Algeria.
What happened
The message is dated September 25, 2026, the national day of tribute to the Harkis. On the same day, according to the Élysée Palace, Emmanuel Macron presided over a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe and decorated twelve Harkis, members of their families, and individuals involved in preserving their memory. These official facts are verifiable; the Facebook post attributed to Marine Le Pen, however, could not be directly accessed.
The context
After the war, some former auxiliaries remained in Algeria, where they were victims of violence. Others reached France, sometimes through organized channels outside the official system. The French authorities had issued directives limiting their transfer to mainland France. The abandonment therefore did not stop at the Algerian coast: for families taken in by France, it continued in appalling living conditions.
On September 20, 2021, Emmanuel Macron apologized to the Harkis and their children, the Élysée Palace recalls. The law of February 23, 2022, subsequently recognized the State’s responsibility regarding the reception conditions of certain families and provided for compensation for those meeting its criteria. This right is not a general compensation for all harm related to the war or abandonment: it specifically covers stays in designated reception facilities between March 20, 1962, and December 31, 1975.
Key figures
- September 25: date of the national day of tribute, established by decree in 2003 and enshrined in law in 2022.
- Twelve: the number of people to be decorated at the presidential ceremony on September 25, 2026, according to the Élysée Palace.
What the facts show
The condemnation of abandonment rests on a fact acknowledged by the Republic. However, presenting all Harkis as men driven solely by the desire to « remain French » oversimplifies their history. A study published by the Ministry of the Armed Forces describes diverse motivations: loyalty to France, economic necessity, pres during recruitment, or reaction to the violence of the FLN. Recognizing this complexity in no way diminishes the State’s responsibilities after the war.
Key takeaways
Marine Le Pen points to a historical wrong that the law acknowledges. The crucial point lies elsewhere: distinguishing between tribute, official recognition, and actual reparations. Ceremonies keep the memory alive; they do not, in themselves, determine who has received redress or for what harm.
Source: Marine Le Pen, message transmitted as published on September 25, 2026. The original publication could not be accessed directly.
