New charter for citizenship

A NEW charter on rights and responsibilities which will have to be signed by people wanting to become French has been drawn up.

The charter, while mainly symbolic, reinforces the serious nature of the decision, stating that anyone claiming French nationality will not be able to claim any other nationality while on French territory.

This is meant to draw a line under recent demands by some right-wingers that double nationality be banned, this being practically difficult as some countries consider that once a person has aquired their nationality they never lose it (eg. Morocco, USA…).

Parallel with this, the level of French needed to take French nationality has been increased, with effect from January. Candidates will have to have the level associated with French obligatory schooling.

Candidates will also have to show a knowledge of French history and culture, of about the level of collège (up to age 14/15).

The charter also includes respect of secular values and gender equality.