Front National launches Petition

Given that the French elections are currently in the news, it seemed an appropriate time to take a look at France’s Front National (FN) which is hoping to gain its first members of the National Assembly under the first-past-the-post system today. A visit to the party’s main website reveals that the FN has launched a petition in response to the desire of both the Socialist Party and Nicolas Sarkozy of the UMP to grant voting rights to foreigners resident in France. This of course undermines the first principal of democracy, and the FN has rightly launched its campaign to try and stop this move dead in its tracks.

Whilst Nicolas Sarkozy is often portrayed, particularly by the British media, as someone who has flirted with the fringes of policy accorded the pariah label of ‘far-right’, his quotes in favour of granting foreigners the vote highlight this for the misleading propaganda that it is. Sarkozy may have ‘talked tough’ on immigration and immigrant crime, yet he acted very softly on these issues, for he is a globalist, and as such, no supporter of the historical rights and interests of the French people. Reproduced below is a translation of the Front National’s introduction to its petition against the right of foreigners to vote in French elections (responsibility for any errors in translation being entirely mine). Although I agree with their cause, not being French I did not see it fit to sign. However, if you are French, you would be advised to add your name to the list of supporters. I hope that the FN succeeds in this endeavour, but fear that it will not.

Petition against Foreigners’ Right to Vote

On the eve of the senatorial elections, the first declaration of Martine Aubry, the First Secretary of the PS [Socialist Party], has been to reaffirm his attachment to the right to vote for foreigners and of making this an absolute priority.

This demagogic position does not have to conflict with the UMP since Nicolas Sarkozy has declared: “I wrote in 2001, in my book, that I was favourable towards the right of foreigners voting in municipal elections.” Then again: “I do not find it abnormal that a foreigner in a regular situation, who works, pays taxes and who has lived for at least six months in France, may vote in municipal elections. I am opening a debate in favour of a measure that I think is just.”

Totally disconnected from the French people and discredited, the UMP and the PS are searching above all to reconstitute a client electorate at the least cost.

While Nicolas Sarkozy and the Socialist Party are favourably disposed towards the right to vote for foreigners, the Front National is resolutely against this for obvious reasons:

1) Since the French Revolution, nationality and civil rights have been related. Now, to accord the right to vote to foreigners would make citizens via the backdoor, by providing a right to date reserved for nationals that would be in total contradiction of the republican spirit!

2) The argument consistently stated that “since the foreigners pay taxes, they must be able to vote” is totally fallacious. In effect, there is already a return for their taxes, which are the various benefits (school, social security, health and justice. . . )

3) The Front National is for the sovereignty of peoples, and recognises the right of all peoples to be able to decide their own destiny, the French the foremost!

The recent Tunisian elections are a perfect illustration: if the right to vote for foreigners is granted, the Tunisians settled in France would be able to vote in French elections while they are already participating in elections in their own country. They would thus benefit from a right to vote superior to that of French nationals.

4) Whilst French identity is constantly portrayed in a bad light, all that is common to the French is being chipped away little by little, and they are forced to share a right that is common to them which contributes to maintaining a sense of belonging to the French nation!

For all of these reasons, the Front National is launching a great national petition to oppose the right to vote for foreigners: http://www.frontnational.com/petition-contre-le-droit-de-vote-des-etrangers/