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| French expats prepare to vote in parliamentary elections | French expats prepare to vote in parliamentary elections |
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| It is, by anyone's reckoning, a big patch: a vast swathe of land stretching from the northern reaches of Russia to the South Island of New Zealand, and from the Carpathians of western Ukraine to the islands of Polynesia. In total, it sprawls over two hemispheres, three continents and more than 208m square miles. Forty nine countries, from Bangladesh to Belarus to Brunei, fall within its grandiose, undiscriminating boundaries. | It is, by anyone's reckoning, a big patch: a vast swathe of land stretching from the northern reaches of Russia to the South Island of New Zealand, and from the Carpathians of western Ukraine to the islands of Polynesia. In total, it sprawls over two hemispheres, three continents and more than 208m square miles. Forty nine countries, from Bangladesh to Belarus to Brunei, fall within its grandiose, undiscriminating boundaries. |
| But, in the brave new world of French administration, this juggernaut of a territory is known simply as the onzième circonscription – the 11th constituency of overseas voters in this month's parliamentary elections. For the first time, French citizens who live abroad will be able to vote for an MP to represent them in the Assemblée Nationale. To some the move is progressive; to others it is a huge and peculiar waste of money. But, whatever the divisions, one thing is for sure: on 17 June, 11 députés will be elected to a parliament a very long way from home. | But, in the brave new world of French administration, this juggernaut of a territory is known simply as the onzième circonscription – the 11th constituency of overseas voters in this month's parliamentary elections. For the first time, French citizens who live abroad will be able to vote for an MP to represent them in the Assemblée Nationale. To some the move is progressive; to others it is a huge and peculiar waste of money. But, whatever the divisions, one thing is for sure: on 17 June, 11 députés will be elected to a parliament a very long way from home. |
| "French people increasingly go to live and work abroad and they don't have a political representation. They have a partial one in the senate. But I live in the European Union; I'm a citizen. I work here, I pay my taxes and I don't get to elect an MP in parliament," said Axelle Lemaire, the London-based Socialist party candidate for the 3rd constituency, "northern Europe", an area stretching from Greenland to the Baltic states via Britain, where 80% of its voters are based. | "French people increasingly go to live and work abroad and they don't have a political representation. They have a partial one in the senate. But I live in the European Union; I'm a citizen. I work here, I pay my taxes and I don't get to elect an MP in parliament," said Axelle Lemaire, the London-based Socialist party candidate for the 3rd constituency, "northern Europe", an area stretching from Greenland to the Baltic states via Britain, where 80% of its voters are based. |
| There are an estimated 2.5 million French people living abroad, and more than 1 million of them have registered to vote in the parliamentary elections which, for voters in France itself, have their first round on 10 June but which, for expatriate populations, kick off this weekend. Until now, these citizens abroad have been able to have their say in the presidential elections but not in the législatives. Their representation has come through 12 senators elected by a political body, the Assembly of French Citizens Abroad (AFE), which also has a team of overseas advisers. But, from this year, the French à l'étranger will be able to directly elect someone who, so the theory goes, will fight their corner in Paris and address the particular concerns they have as citizens in a foreign land. | There are an estimated 2.5 million French people living abroad, and more than 1 million of them have registered to vote in the parliamentary elections which, for voters in France itself, have their first round on 10 June but which, for expatriate populations, kick off this weekend. Until now, these citizens abroad have been able to have their say in the presidential elections but not in the législatives. Their representation has come through 12 senators elected by a political body, the Assembly of French Citizens Abroad (AFE), which also has a team of overseas advisers. But, from this year, the French à l'étranger will be able to directly elect someone who, so the theory goes, will fight their corner in Paris and address the particular concerns they have as citizens in a foreign land. |
| "It's not because you leave the country that you don't participate anymore to the economy," said Olivier Cadic, a Canterbury-based businessman who is one of 20 candidates running in the 3rd constituency, where nearly 90,000 people are registered to vote. The former UMP member, who is running on a centrist platform, argues that many expatriates still pay tax in France and work for French companies, and deserve more of a say. "When we look at the people who have changed France," he added, "in fact they were people who did that from abroad, like Voltaire, or Victor Hugo or like Charles de Gaulle." | "It's not because you leave the country that you don't participate anymore to the economy," said Olivier Cadic, a Canterbury-based businessman who is one of 20 candidates running in the 3rd constituency, where nearly 90,000 people are registered to vote. The former UMP member, who is running on a centrist platform, argues that many expatriates still pay tax in France and work for French companies, and deserve more of a say. "When we look at the people who have changed France," he added, "in fact they were people who did that from abroad, like Voltaire, or Victor Hugo or like Charles de Gaulle." |
| The "northern Europe" constituency is unusual in that it is one of only three to have given more votes to François Hollande than Nicolas Sarkozy in the presidential elections earlier this month. In the remaining eight – in the 6th constituency covering just Switzerland and Liechtenstein, for instance- the right-wing vote triumphed. | The "northern Europe" constituency is unusual in that it is one of only three to have given more votes to François Hollande than Nicolas Sarkozy in the presidential elections earlier this month. In the remaining eight – in the 6th constituency covering just Switzerland and Liechtenstein, for instance- the right-wing vote triumphed. |
| "[Northern Europe] is a constituency for the left to win," said Philippe Marlière, professor of French and European politics at UCL, who sees Hollande's narrow victory over Sarkozy in Britain as a cause for the Socialists to hope. He added: "It was a narrow victory but previously [Britain's vote] was always to the right so it's a change. And good news, probably, for the Socialist candidate." | "[Northern Europe] is a constituency for the left to win," said Philippe Marlière, professor of French and European politics at UCL, who sees Hollande's narrow victory over Sarkozy in Britain as a cause for the Socialists to hope. He added: "It was a narrow victory but previously [Britain's vote] was always to the right so it's a change. And good news, probably, for the Socialist candidate." |
| Lemaire's chief opponent in the battle for the constituency is Emmanuelle Savarit, the 39-year-old UMP candidate, who on her website describes herself as an entrepreneur and graduate of the University of Surrey. She did not respond to the Guardian's interview requests. | Lemaire's chief opponent in the battle for the constituency is Emmanuelle Savarit, the 39-year-old UMP candidate, who on her website describes herself as an entrepreneur and graduate of the University of Surrey. She did not respond to the Guardian's interview requests. |
| Lemaire, a 37-year-old lawyer who has lived in London for 12 years and has visited 25 cities across Europe during the campaign, believes the arrival of the new MPs in parliament will give expatriates a better means of tackling issues such as the number of places at French schools or the difficulties facing mixed nationality couples. She also sees the reform, pushed through under Sarkozy's watch in 2008 but the result of years of pressure from both left and right, as symbolic. "I think it's very progressive and very modern," she said. "It's opening the politics of your own country by making it more international to the rest of the world. It's sort of a new mission to try to be inspired by the best practice from abroad." | Lemaire, a 37-year-old lawyer who has lived in London for 12 years and has visited 25 cities across Europe during the campaign, believes the arrival of the new MPs in parliament will give expatriates a better means of tackling issues such as the number of places at French schools or the difficulties facing mixed nationality couples. She also sees the reform, pushed through under Sarkozy's watch in 2008 but the result of years of pressure from both left and right, as symbolic. "I think it's very progressive and very modern," she said. "It's opening the politics of your own country by making it more international to the rest of the world. It's sort of a new mission to try to be inspired by the best practice from abroad." |
| Not everyone, however, is convinced. Marlière opposes the elections on practical and political grounds. He does not regard the French abroad as being in dire need of greater representation and does not believe these MPs, with their vast constituencies and unusually niche briefs, will necessarily deliver it. Moreover, he finds the idea of voting from abroad – already practised in various ways by countries including Italy, Portugal and Tunisia – uncomfortable in principle. | Not everyone, however, is convinced. Marlière opposes the elections on practical and political grounds. He does not regard the French abroad as being in dire need of greater representation and does not believe these MPs, with their vast constituencies and unusually niche briefs, will necessarily deliver it. Moreover, he finds the idea of voting from abroad – already practised in various ways by countries including Italy, Portugal and Tunisia – uncomfortable in principle. |
| "I decided to leave France. No one pushed me out. In terms of political rights and representation I have less of a say when it comes to deciding matters in France," he said. Voting for a president – a head of state responsible, among other things, for fashioning France's image in the world – one was thing, he said. "But not having the right to vote for the députés, I never found that shocking. Because, in a way, I'm politically outside of the national community ... When it comes to deciding on matters of taxation, you know, I'm not there; I don't pay my taxes there. In a way I can't be out of it and at the same time claim rights." | "I decided to leave France. No one pushed me out. In terms of political rights and representation I have less of a say when it comes to deciding matters in France," he said. Voting for a president – a head of state responsible, among other things, for fashioning France's image in the world – one was thing, he said. "But not having the right to vote for the députés, I never found that shocking. Because, in a way, I'm politically outside of the national community ... When it comes to deciding on matters of taxation, you know, I'm not there; I don't pay my taxes there. In a way I can't be out of it and at the same time claim rights." |
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