Dual nationals in France: We are a help not a hindrance

A proposal by the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) to ban French citizens with dual-national status from certain jobs provoked a lot of controversy ahead of July’s elections.

The idea was put forward by RN leader Jordan Bardella on June 24 and would relate to “sensitive” jobs, particularly those in the security and defence sectors.

He did not specify which jobs, but said “very few people” would be affected.

The call was taken up by other RN members, with some favouring extending it to all government jobs and elected positions.

Read more: Can the French far right ban foreigners from certain jobs?

Legal experts were quick to point out that this measure could only happen if the Constitution was changed to allow such discrimination.

The proposal is dead for the time being following the RN’s defeat in the second round of voting on July 7, however the discomfort it caused among dual national citizens is very real.

Read more: Election results around France: how did your area vote in final round?

‘We already have a duty of loyalty’

Among those who criticised the measure was diplomat Mohamed Bouabdallah, who is currently the French cultural attaché to the United States and who holds French and Algerian dual nationality.

In an article in Le Monde, he said all fonctionnaires (public servants) had a duty of neutrality and loyalty towards the state.

He made a link between the RN’s proposal and Vichy France, the collaborationist regime in power between 1940 and 1944, which reserved all government jobs for French men – something Charles de Gaulle abolished when he came to power.

“Thousands of us have dual nationality,” he said. “And in spite of what RN thinks, we are not organised in a ‘community’, a sort of fifth column, which passes its time counting how many there are in government posts or targeting posts we can fill in sensitive jobs, although we are in Quai d’Orsay [home of the French foreign ministry], in the army, in the police, in the gendarmerie and in the secret service.”

He added: “It pains me to think that our loyalty to France is questioned.” 

‘We are a help not a hindrance’

French/British dual national Steve Jackson, who is a longstanding elected member of Albi (Tarn) council, called the RN proposal “absolutely stupid”.

“When I look at my career in France [he has lived here for 43 years], I have worked as an English teacher for the Chambre de commerce, and have helped hundreds of business leaders improve their English, which has been a big help to businesses.

“And then towards the end I taught at the university, and helped many bright students going on to high things improve their English too.”

Both the Chambre de commerce and university positions are linked to the state, so could be affected by a ban.

Mr Jackson added: “Both in my work on the local council and as a campaigner for bicycle safety, I am convinced that being a dual national is a help, not a hindrance.

“Having experience of living in two countries means you can see that they are different, not better or worse, and see what can be used to improve where you are – in my case, France.”

His opinions were echoed by Christine Hasse, a French/German dual national who has been on the local council of Gilhac-et-Bruzac in Ardèche since 2008.

She gained French nationality last year, in part so she could be appointed a deputy mayor in charge of steering a local development plan (plan local d’urbanisme, or PLU) through the council.

Her nationality application necessitated three interviews with gendarmes because of her activities organising protests against nuclear power.

“So I have been very thoroughly vetted and found not to pose a danger to France,” she joked. “But seriously, because I have experience of how things are done at a local level in Germany, where there is a tradition of compromise, I am able to try and steer things through by compromise, something which I find does not always come to the fore with French colleagues.

“Having two nationalities is often actually a help in getting things done.” She also pointed to the impracticality of any ban.