What are the local political and economic implications of land expropriation and land reform introduced by colonial regimes? Using archival records from Tunisia and France, this paper evaluates the extent to which access to land and land titling in Tunisia is responsive to French interests. Moreover, this paper presents evidence of a political backlash to French land policy. In regions with increased land expropriation and colonial settlement, we observe increased nationalist mobilization. These regions later become the geographic bases of support for the Neo-Destour party, the dominant political party of independent Tunisia. This research illustrates the extent to which post-independence political cleavages and affiliations are endogenous to the colonial experience.