PS wants to give expats the vote

EVERY foreign resident in France could win the right to vote in local elections under a new law being drawn up by the Socialist Party.

Party leader Martine Aubry brought up the issue of expats' voting rights in a speech yesterday ahead of the regional elections in March, which non-French residents are not allowed to participate in.

She said a bill would be put forward in parliament in March, and said Nicolas Sarkozy should encourage his governing UMP party to support it.

"Let's move away from the discourse about integration and foreigners," Ms Aubry said. "Enough of that - we need to take action."

Since 2001, expats in France who come from an EU country have been allowed to vote - and stand - in municipal elections. The PS law would extend this to all foreign residents.

Nicolas Sarkozy has said in the past that he is in favour of such a move "on an intellectual level".

Immigration Minister Eric Besson also supports the idea, but says it would be premature to begin the debate now - preferring some time in the next ten years.

According to Le Figaro, the left has suggested giving non-French residents the right to vote for the past 30 years. It was one of François Mitterrand's 1981 election pledges.

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