Reunification of Brittany

The Reunification of Brittany or Breton Reunification is a political movement to reunite the Loire-Atlantique department with the administrative region of Brittany, to form the entire cultural and historical region of Brittany. This "reunification" is considered a prerequisite for further Breton autonomy.

Breton and Pan-Celtic flags, Church of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul during the Maniff Breizh (in support of the reunification of Brittany) in Nantes on September 24, 2016
French administrative regions, with Brittany in dark blue and the Loire-Atlantique department in light blue

Background

Brittany was an independent kingdom from the ninth century, then became a duchy until the dissolution of the French monarchy.[1]

In 1941, the Vichy government separated the region of Loire-Atlantique from historic Brittany which today remains a part of Pays de la Loire administrative region.[2] Loire-Atlantique including Brittany's ancient Duchy capital of Nantes, was separated from the rest of Brittany partly in retaliation for a large number of Bretons supporting the Free French National Council of Charles de Gaulle and also as an attack on Bretons who supported the independence of Brittany.[3]

Movement

2014 regional organisation

Former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and mayor of Nantes said it was "in the interest of the people" to merge the Loire-Atlantique with Brittany. His successor as mayor of Nantes, Johanna Rolland added, "For the future of our territories and the people living in them, let’s fight for a merger of Pays de la Loire and Bretagne”. Marc Le Fur, a member of parliament for the UMP party, said that President Hollande was "upholding Vichy [the wartime French state]". "He hasn't listened to his Breton ministers, or the Breton members of parliament, or to local businesses, or to cultural leaders. He is deaf. He won't listen to anyone." The organisation 44=BZH accused the French government of listening only to the political leaders of Loire-Atlantique's political leaders, who they claim are desperate to keep their jobs and are ignoring the views of the people of Brittany.[4]

Public support

In 2014, between 13,000 and 30,000 people paraded in support of reunification. In 2016 there was also a parade of between 2,500 and 10,000 people.[5]

In October 2018, 1,500 to 3,000 people paraded in Nantes for the reunification of Brittany, calling for a referendum to reunite Loire-Atlantique with Brittany.[6]

In November 2018, over 100,000 citizens of Loire-Atlantique had signed a petition proposed by Bretagne réunie (Brittany reunited) to reunite Loire-Atlantique with Brittany.[6][7]

A road sign in Loire-Atlantique that says "welcome to historical Brittany"

Loire-Atlantique officials

In December 2018, the Departmental Council of Loire-Atlantique voted against modifying the regional boundaries directly, but in favour of a referendum on including Loire-Atlantique in the Brittany region.[8]

In 2021, Nantes town council voted in favour of requesting that the French government organise a referendum on Nantes leaving the Pays-de-la-Loire region to become part of Brittany.[9]

In June 2022, Loire-Atlantique council supported a resolution for a referendum.[10]

Regional Council of Brittany

In October 2021, the Regional Council of Brittany supported a resolution requesting that the French government “begins, with a view to 2024, the legislative process for consulting the electors of Loire-Atlantique on whether or not they wish to join Brittany”.[10]

In 2022, Aziliz Gouez, leader of the Breizh a-Gleiz group of Breton autonomists, supported the reunification of Brittany, which is seen as a prerequisite for a process of autonomy for Brittany. Her call for Breton autonomy was voted for by all the regional councillors (except for far-right Rassemblement National).[11]

In September 2022, the Regional Council of Brittany voted in favour of an impact assessment on reunification, to be jointly financially supported Loire-Atlantique. The results of the impact assessment are due to be published by March 2023 with hope of a consultation.[10]

In May 2023, a "transpartisan" body was formed in Nantes to "create the conditions for dialogue between communities and the State about the organisation of this citizen consultation", with the hope that a referendum can be held quickly.[12] Twenty-five deputies of the five departments of historical Brittany signed a bill for a consultation with the inhabitants of Loire Atlantique on reunification.[13]

In September 2023, in response to an offer by Emmanuel Macron to work towards greater autonomy for Corsica, Loïg Chesnais-Girard, president of the Brittany regional council, noted the disparity between the proposal and the "system of inefficient centralism from another age".[14]

International support

In 2014, a motion was signed in the UK House of Commons by 10 MPs supporting the reunification of the historic region of Brittany during the French government's reorganisation of France's super regions.[15]

Polling

A 2000 poll found that support for Breton independence was at 23%.[16]

A 2013 poll found that 44% of Bretons supported the reunification of Brittany with 36% against and 18% support independence from France.[16]

A 2018 poll found that 40% of Bretons supported direct international representations for Brittany with 39% against. 35% supported law-making powers for Brittany with 49% against. Around 50% supported reunification with 30% against.[16]

A 2019 poll found that 47% of those living in the Brittany administrative region were in favour of reunification whilst 31% were against; 53% of those living in Loire-Atlantique were in favour and 25% against.[17]

See also

References
  1. Celtic culture : a historical encyclopedia. Internet Archive. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO. 2006. pp. 241–242. ISBN 978-1-85109-440-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. Hutchinson, Wesley; Ríordáin, Clíona Ní (2010). Language Issues: Ireland, France, Spain. Peter Lang. p. 161. ISBN 978-90-5201-649-8.
  3. Fishman, Joshua A.; García, Ofelia; Press, Oxford University (2010). Handbook of Language & Ethnic Identity. Oxford University Press. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-19-537492-6.
  4. "Anger as plan to redraw French map omits 'Great Brittany'". France 24. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  5. Vanzini, Pierre-Baptiste (25 September 2016). "La réunification de la Bretagne, un combat perdu ?". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  6. "New demonstration for reunification of historical Brittany". Nationalia. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  7. Loret, Paul (25 November 2022). "Pétition des 100 000, tribunal administratif". Bretagne Réunie (in French). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  8. "Loire-Atlantique. Les élus votent pour le référendum mais contre le rattachement". Presse Océan (in French). 17 December 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  9. "French town of Nantes votes for referendum on exiting Pays-de-la-Loire region".
  10. "Largest ever Brittany flag displayed in call for more local power". Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  11. Keltz, Benjamin. "Brittany lays claim to autonomy, in Corsica's footsteps". Le Monde. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  12. "Des collectivités « unies » pour un référendum sur la Bretagne réunifiée". www.20minutes.fr (in French). 5 May 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  13. MOLAC, Paul (15 May 2023). "Proposition de loi en vue d'organiser une consultation en Loire Atlantique pour son retour en région Bretagne administrative". NHU | Votre Média Breton (in French). Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  14. Mansfield, Mark (30 September 2023). "Macron opens door for Corsican autonomy". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  15. "Breton reunification". 12 June 2014.
  16. "Brittany". Nationalia. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  17. "Bretagne à cinq. Ce sondage qui relance le débat". archive.wikiwix.com. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
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