Expat interest in politics in France

Hello everyone,

As an expat, your day-to-day life in France is impacted by decision-making at the political level in your host country as well as in your country of origin. We would like to know how involved you think expats should be in the political day-to-day of either their host or home country?

Can expats vote during elections which take place in their country of origin? Can you do so online or through embassies/consulates in France?

What is the administrative process which has been set up in France to enable expats to vote in their country of origin?

To which extent should political life in France include expats and their concerns? Should they be more active as a community to make their voices heard?

Are there any precautionary measures to observe during election period in your host country? Any local prohibitions?

Do you keep up with politics in France?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Bhavna

Irrespective of who you vote for in France, very little will change. The country will always be a socialist state where the majority of adults work for the state and they are happy with this because it is almost impossible to fire somewhere apart from misconduct. Taxes will always be high to make this system run. We used to get a cheque each month for having children, the more children the more money. I had four children and the cheque was very welcome, paid for from the high taxes that people pay to the government.

We received our pensions from England and Isle of Man since 2005, was working perfectly until the "brexit"vote in 2016 when the exchange rate gbp to Eur dropped dramatically.
Since then we have lost approx €20,000 in income.
Using our TV and online we follow earnestly the developments with UK politics hoping that the shambles will be resolved soon.
We hope that Jan 31 2020 will be the end of it, which is also my 80th birthday.
It is frustrating that we cannot vote anywhere, but we can send messages to politicians etc.
Sometimes they answer!

Hello Bhavna,

To have the right to vote, he must fulfill all these conditions:
- At least 18 years old the day before the first round of the election
- Living in France
- Being a national of a country of the European Union
- Enjoy your civil and political rights

An elector from another Member State of the European Union only has the right to vote in France for and the municipal and European elections.

To be able to vote in France, you must ask to be registered:
- On the complementary electoral lists of the municipal and European elections of the same municipality. You will then vote in France for each of these elections.
- Either only on the complementary electoral list of the municipal elections (you will then vote only in France for the municipal elections) or only on the complementary electoral list of the European elections (you will then vote only in France for the European elections).

It is possible to register on the complementary list of the municipality:
- Where is your home,
- Where you have been living for at least 6 months,
- Where you are liable for local taxes (housing tax, property tax on built or undeveloped properties, land assessment of companies) for at least 2 years
- Where is installed the company subjected for at least 2 years to the local taxes and of which you have been for at least 2 years the manager (manager) or the shareholder (majority or single)