Senate to debate foreigners' vote

PRIME minister François Fillon will today urge senators to reject a draft law that would allow non-EU citizens living in France to vote in municipal elections.

The Senate, which has a left-wing majority, will vote on the Socialist proposal this afternoon. Pro- and anti-vote campaigners are planning to demonstrate nearby.

Since 2001, expats in France who come from an EU country have been allowed to vote - and stand - in municipal elections.

The draft law would extend this to all foreign residents, but non-EU citizens would have to live in France for at least five years to be eligible and they would not be able to stand for mayor.

Green party presidential candidate Eva Joly told the Grand Journal on Canal+: "France is very behind. In the EU, most countries have agreed to give the right to vote to non-EU members. It's also a recommendation by the Council of Europe. We have signed international conventions saying that we should do it."

France Info says the law has no chance of passing, because the National Assembly has the final say and Nicolas Sarkozy's majority UMP party is strongly against giving the vote to foreigners.

Sarkozy insists that local election votes must remain for the French and Europeans only. He said last month: "It could profoundly divide the French people at a time when, more than ever, we need to bring them together."

According to a BVA poll published in Le Parisien this week, 61% of French people are in favour of the move.

The left has suggested giving non-French citizens living here the right to vote for the past 30 years. It was one of François Mitterrand's 1981 election pledges.

The National Assembly passed it in 2000 but it was thrown out by the Senate. The issue was last debated in parliament last year, again following a proposal from the Socialist party, but was rejected by 313 votes to 212.

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