The rights of non-EU immigrants in France have come under the spotlight as the country’s upper house voted 173 to 166 to approve changes to voting in local elections.
The text of the legislation – which was approved 12 years ago under then Prime Minister Lionel Jospin – would allow for all French residents, including foreign citizens, to vote in local and European polls in line with Ireland, Benelux, Slovakia, Estonia and Scandinavian countries.
However the bill at the time was never debated in the Sénat, through which it must be passed before it can be enacted in law.
Following recent Sénat elections that saw the left gain control of the house, the proposals – with some amendments – were finally discussed last month.
However, since the Sénat rewrote some parts of the bill during the debates, the new text must be approved again by the National Assembly. This was not be an easy task, with President Nicolas Sarkozy leading the call to oppose the granting of voting rights to foreigners.
Long and winding road
Proposals to grant voting rights to non-French citizens have followed a long and winding road since being mooted in 1981, when then President François Mitterrand presented the right for foreign residents to vote as one of his 110 proposals in that year’s presidential election campaign.
Aside from the original incarnation of the current proposals in 2000, left-wing politicians attempted to put them up for Sénat discussion in 2006 to no avail.
The present situation provides the best opportunity to discuss an important issue for foreign residents in France, which was also slow to enact legislation allowing EU citizens to vote in local elections (in time for the 2001 polls).
Stark differences
It also highlights the sometimes stark differences in voting rights for foreigners among the European Union’s member states. While the 1992 Maastricht Treaty paved the way for EU citizens to vote wherever they reside in the union, no such common criteria were decided for non-EU citizens.
And while some EU member states are loosening restrictions in the name of integration, at present France joins fellow EU powerhouse Germany, Italy, Austria and most eastern European member states in making local elections the preserve of EU citizens.
Ireland stands in almost direct opposition to France on the matter, with residents of all nationalities entitled to vote in local elections. Indeed, voting conditions in local and EU elections are exactly the same for Irish and non-Irish residents alike – foreign citizens can even be elected in Irish local polls, which is not the case in most of Europe.
It remains to be seen if France will follow this example.
