I'd go for a European nationality too.
In fact that's a bit the problem with Europe, it's a halfway house we've left the free trade area idea but we're still a very long way to the united states of europe...
I hadn't really looked into the changing nationality issue, but it doesn't seem that hard:
http://www.frenchentree.com/fe-lavie/displayarticle.asp?id=2900
and it looks as if you can do it and still keep your British nationality. So, maybe it's interesting that none us have done so in order to vote? Is it because nationality actually isn't onlyto do with taxes and borders, but it involves a certain kind of emotional commitment that isn't taken lightly? We can vote in local elections and, thinking about it, it seems to me fair enough that you can only get a say in the governance of the country at national level if you have made a commitment to citizenship. Patriotism is an unfashionable idea - but it's maybe less for the Americans and the French than for us? The president represents what France stands for at an international level, what she represents for the world. Taking French nationality has an aspect of allegiance and even of taking responsibility for something? But, that could be just a personal view. There are days when I feel profoundly alienated from every possible aspect of French life and culture, often when someone official has just been snotty to me; but there also other times when I'm equally as ravished by the charm and intelligence and the civilized-ness, etc. I'm reasonably integrated, having a French husband and family, and getting a bit involved with the community at last now that I've started teaching yoga - and I've noticed that this makes me feel less of a grumpy outsider! But I'm sure my bones will always stay English and I couldn't, for example, swear allegiance to the French flag without feeling hypocritical. This might change, but unless it does, it seems fair enough to me that I can't be involved in deciding who the president is.
PS Will try to add pic of self this weekend. It isn't an intention to stay anonymous but pathetically never having got to grips with a digital camera.
Ah but under current rules, if I'm not mistaken Brian, I wouldn't give up my British passport and nationality but have both. Very relelvant points about my kids having dual nationality though and I wouldn't want to deny them that if I could do otherwise. I think we both agree that the best, and rather idyllic, answer would be to have a single European ID card/passport - I'd be all up for that with European nationality but I guess plenty here would be against that and almost 99% of people living in the UK...!
Yes, I moved here from Wales in a constituency where Plaid Cymru dominated and we always knew being there was temporary, so despite sympathies I knew nothing. I understand and love politics but one problem I have is that the political system here is not at all transparent and whilst I would wish to have the vote I actually see no point in changing nationality in a Europe where that is supposed not to be necessary to achieve that. This, despite his motives, I disagree to a point with Andrew. For one thing if his children are not already registered for UK citizenship, he would take that away from them. Dual nationality is useful and never to be passed by - ours are UK/Swiss and we are glad we did it albeit we do not fancy living in either of those countries.
One also feels, particularly in the presidential, that each vote counts. In my previous two UK constituencies I disagreed with the incumbent party, but they had huge majorities so I felt that my vote wasn't much help (although I voted all the same).
I think I'll end up going down the naturalisation path once we've moved and the dust has settled, we're changing département, only just, so it hasn't been worth doing it up until now either as I'd have to relaunch the whole process again in Albi rather than Rodez. Oh and how rediculous are things at times - I can't get and médecin agréé to do my medical here in the Aveyron, well I'm in the Lot as I type this, but I have to go to a médecin agréé in the Tarn as that's where the tabac is, it's the same région and they're agréé by the same people...!
Yup, very stressful but my 7 yr old tells me that I can tell her who to vote for when she's older and has the vote as she will be French (according to current legislation) - bet she changes her mind!
Apparently I can no longer vote in the UK as I have been left too long - not that I would want to but I do feel angry that as someone who has worked hard all their life, I'm not entitled to vote anywhere!
Ditto Andrew and Nick.
Couldn't agree more Andrew. It's as if (as another post here points out) - we'll take your money but you have no say in how we spend it. Ludicrous.
Nick, I'm in exactly the same position re work, taxes and French family/kids and that's exactly how I feel. I don't vote in the UK as I haven't got a clue what's going on there and frankly I don't care, my life is here and I want a vote! puts toys back in the pram...!
I feel deeply frustrated that I pay my taxes here, I work here, I live here, my children are both French and I can't vote in Presidential elections unless I change my nationality.
A piece of paper won't change where I was born. Frankly changing nationality is not a problem per se, but why should I have to do it to vote? What happpens if I move country in another ten years time. It's absolutely ridiculous.
If my tax money is good enough then my vote should count too.
Oh aye, you can say that again - indeed I am yet to meet a Scot (inclusive moi) who is anything but squandrous with money but les Francais... That will be interesting with the new government here because generosity is somewhere there in what needs to be shown to the nation...
at one time I was a matron of a large nursing home...my chef was a Frenchman, given to huge temper tantrums which meant I was often left turning out meals for 60 whilst he recovered his equilibrium...however...he was a true Frenchman and loved France...he owned a Renault...and as he believed everything that came out of France was the best I was amazed when he said his Renault...and the company were the biggest pile of ****** and the French were incapable of making decent cars!
Mäc-Geiz have now removed the guy in a kilt from their logo and from their shop design.
I found here that the French can out-do the Scots for being careful with money. A French friend for example realised it was time to buy new skis because he saw a pair identical to his own in a local museum. :-)
Oh yes, Mäc-Geiz is a double whammy - the joke being that lots of their wares used to have pseudo-Scots (Scotia, bonnycare, etc) and French names until they got too many complaints to sustain the latter joke, then when things just appeared to be everyday rubbish with German names the quality got worse! The tartan motif they use is offensive with my origins... No French retailer has (yet) sunk quite as low. Euro Shop, is probably about the same but I have never used one.
No John, I drive a Laguna which is actually a good car, before that had a Picasso which I never liked much but served me well and, ironically, before that had a Merc Estate which almost lived in the garage being repaired!
John, yes, it was a German company.
Brian, Undoubtable the rise of the BRICs in a big factor in the worldwide economy. Though I remember when everyone was saying Japan was unstoppable, then the tigers, now India and China. I agree that Europe is tired however I do expect a big wobble in India and/or China.
I'll give you that Citroen was one of, if not the, most innovative car manufacturer since the thirties but Renault - I can't buy that. Have you a Avantime hidden in your garage you're trying to hype the price on?
Interesting Ian. Some Germans are more equal that others I guess. Was it a German outfit?
John, the industry was semiconductor, where quality is high priority. However these were projects in the IT world. It was quite noticeable that those who had worked anywhere other than East Germany were "normal", and that the people who tended to shift work to others were the East Germans. However the project overrun issues and lack of rigour was more universal.
I could never quite reconcile the German idea of quality with the proliferation of shops like the Euro Shop and the somewhat offensive Mac Geiz where there was nothing but very cheap rubbish.