The Local France

From slum-dweller to senator? French Roma woman aims high

Sun, 24 Sep 2017 12:51:26 +0200

Anina Ciuciu, a 27-year-old law student who once begged for centimes, is vying to become France's first Roma senator on Sunday.

Macron's party on course for a landslide

Sat, 17 Jun 2017 15:32:04 +0200

French President Emmanuel Macron is on course for a landslide victory in parliamentary elections that will complete his overhaul of national politics as the first voters cast their ballots overseas on Saturday.

Shouldn't EU citizens have right to vote in French presidential election?

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 15:11:01 +0200

Shouldn't citizens from Britain (they haven't left yet) and other EU countries who live and pay taxes in France be given the right to vote in French presidential election? There are reasons why it would make sense.

France ditches pledge to give foreigners vote

Thu, 05 Nov 2015 13:19:18 +0100

The French government has given up on one of President François Hollande's landmark election pledges - to give foreigners the right to vote in local elections. Rights groups tell The Local the government has "caved in to xenophobia and racism".

Right expects boost from Sunday’s local polls

Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:13:00 +0200

France's ruling Socialists look set for a drubbing in local polls Sunday that are expected to deliver a boost for former president Nicolas Sarkozy and far-right challenger Marine Le Pen.

French MPs back motion to recognize Palestine

Tue, 02 Dec 2014 18:05:00 +0100

Deputies in the French parliament voted on Tuesday in favour of recognizing the state of Palestine in a highly symbolic motion. Israel immediately warned that the vote would harm the peace process.

France to vote on recognition of Palestine

Wed, 12 Nov 2014 12:40:00 +0100

UPDATED: French lawmakers will vote later this month on a proposal urging the government to recognise Palestine as a state, a parliamentary source said Wednesday, as diplomatic tension continues to rise between Europe and Israel.

Valls' government survives confidence vote

Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:53:00 +0200

France's embattled government clawed its way to victory in a do-or-die vote of confidence on Tuesday, but it's unclear if this success will serve as a turning point for President François Hollande.

Votes for expats: Plan to end UK's 15-year rule

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 12:23:00 +0200

The Conservative party in the UK has made a bid to woo expat voters by pledging to end the controversial “15-year rule” that prevents millions of Brits abroad from being able to vote.

'Giving foreigners vote is giving up sovereignty'

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 19:13:00 +0200

France's president reignited an age-old row recently when he vowed to fight to give foreigners the vote in France. In the first part of our tête-a-tête we hear from a French mayor; who says France would be abandoning part of its sovereignty if foreigners were able to cast ballots.

British expats in France urged to register to vote

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 16:50:00 +0100

British expats living in France are being urged to register to vote on Wednesday – which has been named the official "Overseas Registration Day". The British government are hoping 25,000 voters will sign up.

Live: French parliament adopts gay marriage law

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:08:00 +0200

France made history on Tuesday when deputies in the National Assembly voted to legalize gay marriage. With opponents vowing to continue their protests thousands of police have been called in amid fears of trouble. Stay with us for LIVE updates.

'Dallas comes to the Elysée' as Royal kicked out

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:09:00 +0200

Twin rivalries – one political, the other amorous – doomed Ségolène Royal, former partner of French President François Hollande, to suffer a humiliating defeat in Sunday's legislative polls.

Angry voters dump parking fines in ballot boxes

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:45:00 +0200

Voters on the island of Corsica found a novel way to protest the recent introduction of new parking fees this weekend - by using parking tickets as voting slips.

Hollande’s rap video goes viral

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:49:00 +0200

French presidential campaigns are often conservative affairs, but a new campaign video shows Socialist presidential candidate François Hollande hanging with youths in the French banlieues to the rap track "Niggas in Paris" by Jay-Z and Kanye West.

Votes for foreigners spark debate in France

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:46:00 +0100

The French Senate is to debate extending voting rights to foreigners on Thursday. The Socialist Party, which controls the Senate, wants to allow non-EU citizens to vote in local elections.

French favour voting rights for foreigners: poll

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:59:00 +0100

A clear majority of French people want to give non-EU foreigners the right to vote in local elections, a recent poll shows. The ruling right-wing party disagrees.