Democracy? A Jacobin Stitch Up!

This published by the Celtic League:

Democracy? A Jacobin Stitch Up!

News from the Celtic League

The last and final reading of a bill of law in the French National Assembly (l’Assemblée Nationale) in Paris, which could have either reunified Breizh (Brittany) or created another new artificial region was heard this week.

Last month (early in the morning on 20th November) the territorial reform bill was passed at the National Assembly and the opportunity to amend the bill to reunify Breizh was lost through a tragic deficit of democracy, where only 10% of Deputies (member of parliament) bothered to show up to vote. Before being signed off by French President Hollande, there was a further third opportunity this week to make changes to the bill, but once again the case for Breton reunification was lost through a democratic tragedy.

This time even though an equally low number of Deputies initially showed up at the Assembly to vote (late at night once again), it seemed as though the Socialist Party deliberately stalled the reading of the bill to gather more Deputies together, when it appeared that there were perhaps enough pro-Breton MP’s present for a desired change to be made.

After the final vote one commentator on the Celtic League Facebook page stated:

“I am just disgusted by all the so-called arguments put forward by the anti-reunification group, and how the pro-fusion (“great-west”) partisans present the fusion as an ineluctable fact. They use logics against logic, low attacks, and I am sick and tired of this republican sacro-saint “there is only one people in France, the French” as if the constitution is a fact set in stone. France has continuously disappointed me, not that I had any high hopes for it, but this year I have found myself to absolutely reject any kind of notion of being French.”

The Facebook commentator continues in words that clearly highlights the deep sense of resentment to the French attitude felt by the Breton people:

“When one Alsacian Deputy constantly asked the government why they are ignoring the fact that the European Union made it obligatory to ask democratically the people when changing borders, he is never answered. France has no soul, no integrity, and no respect for human rights. It has become a technocratic monarchy where we elect our barons and kings. The worse in all of this is that it’s in the minds of most of the French. I can not talk to one single French friend about this because most of them are from big cities (Paris, Lyon..) and have no real territorial attachment. To them, Brittany, Alsace, those are all folkloric touristy places. I’ll be in my bed today, moping…”

It seems that France still lacks democracy even 70 years after the collapse of the fascist Vichy French government in 1944. Below is a link to an article written in English about the campaign for Breton reunification, from a Breton perspective, including some background to the present situation.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/hugo-tran/fighting-for-...

11/12/14

Link:

http://www.celticleague.net/news/democracy-a-jacobin-stitch-up/

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