THE BRITTANY ISSUE

One of the most European Regions in Europe

Brittany is the name or our land in modern English The Romans called it Armorica (from the Celtic : land before the sea) when they conquered us in 56 BC.

It was then a part of the Armorican Federation that spread between the river Loire and the Seine :

In different languages it is also called : Brittany, Bretaña, Брэтань, Bretania, Bretanya, Llydaw, Breten Vian,, Bretonio, Bretainia, Bretania, Bretanha,

Breetany, Burtaegne, Breton, 布列塔尼半岛 ), ブルターニュ地域圏 , Βρετάνη …

And Breizh in brezhoneg (the Breton language)

We’re one of the westernmost people in Europe.

In that time, the Roman empire had not reached its highest extension

North and West of Italy the people the Romans had conquered were mostly Celts that spread

as far east as the Black sea.

When the Romans left Britain, other predators prepared to invade the Empire

Who created five « kingdoms » that later united against to fight the Franks but could’nt much resist the Viking Raids

For over 500 years, Brittany remained an independant Kingdom, Principality, Duchy

From 937 to 1532, Brittany was managed as an independant State

Sharing treaties and alliances, or fights, with other european thrones

Until, following a major defeat in a war with France (1488), our Duchess ANNA

tried to avoid Brittany’s annexion by marrying Maximilian of Austria (1490), causing the ire of the French King. The Pope

had to break this union, & Charles VIII married the Princess.

Conditions were set in the Treaty of Union that followed .

•The province would be kept in its boundaries

•A parliament would remain.•Taxes were to be approved in the province

•For customs, Brittany remained a zona franca.

•War and soldier’s drafts had to be approved

•All trials to take place in Brittany except appeal.

All these were (almost) observed until the French Revolution

Eventually on Aug, 4th,1789, in the name of a new Republic, Provinces were abolished – But with a Nation that was thought to become a Federation

Under Napoleon rule, and until WW.2, France remained

the most centralised country in Europe

It was, and is still, divided

into abt 100 départements

ruled by Prefects.

The provinces, that recalled

the royal administration, were abolished.

Until,in 1941, during WW2, Marshal Pétain,inspired by the Nazi occupants, planned

new « Provinces » The reasons were mainly «logistic» and aimed to distribute recruiting and revictualling in a war economy and in a centralised state planning.

These « regions » were abolished in 1945, but re-established in 1956 to be used for planning purposes as:

Régions de Programme

Then 3 men shared a vision with us:De Gaulle, Giscard, Pleven

De Gaulle has a social vision of his country : diversity is a cumulative force – Locally, vertuous Specific ideas may arise, that would be copied and challenge others

But, in 1969, his reform to regionalise France is rejected by 52.4% in a referendum. Although not everywhere !

Giscard accepts that economy and politics are also linked to culture. It means that sources of

confidence , and wealth, can be local. In 1977, he negotiates a Cultural Charter with the Breton groups, founding the Institute and the Cultural Council of Brittany which is placed in its historical boundaries i.e not the Pétain model.

RENE PLEVEN « the menhir», made the C.E.L.I.B Had been twice a French Premier, this Breton,

also known as one initiator of the NATO, founded, in 1950, the :

Liaison Committee for Breton Interests,

that defined a regional programme

& enforced it during 30 years:

Decentralisation – Promotion – Industrialisation- Infrastructures Lobbying – Agriculture- Tourism on the whole territory.1901-1993

Thirty glorious years, • A good road and rail network

including fast trains to the east.• A maritime strength (ferries).• Heavy industries(cars,shipyards)• A performing agro-food industry

*

But some missing links•The Breton language, once forbidden in schools, is just tolerated – Speakers, over a million in 1950, are to-day just 200 000. France has

signed (1999) the European Charter for Regional and Minority languages but failed to ratify this Treaty.•The Breton culture, encouraged as long as it brings tourism, remains popular, but without decent budgets or University openings..

•The Historic territory remains

« Maimed  of Nantes » in a dwarf region 30% our citizens 40% of our economy is

« softly Ulsterised »,

and artificially attached to a fake adminis- tration called « Loire Country » that fails to share the understanding of our culture and promotes an artificial region..

Brittany, the only French minority witha Regional size that is refused a status • Despite all the gallups, local supports & votes.• Despite an international regognition of its identity (s.a.Wales, Scotland..)• Despite numerous demonstrations of 10 000 and more, rising…• Despite industrial, corporate and business supports.• Despite the International support of the 90 organisations in the Federal

.Union of European Nationalities(FUEN) and the European Council.

• Despite a current parlementary debate on the French regional reshuffling • Despite the E.Union efforts to have harmonised status, competences …and budgets ,

 The French Regions still remain uncompatible with their European counterparts.

AND THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT & LEADING PARTY

REMAIN BLIND AND DEAFON BRITTANY’s FUTURE

This is in contradiction with having signed (1985) and ratified (1997) the European Charter of Local Self-Government, as did the 46 other member states of the CE, that implies subsidiarity

« The rights of self-government must be exercised by democratically constituted authorities» art3 §2.

But the community of Brittany was defined by a decree by the non-democratic Vichy regime and unduely copied by all others that followed.

Whence art.5 says : Protection of local authority boundaries : “ Changes in local authority boundaries shall not be made without prior consultation of the local communities concerned, possibly by means of a referendum where this is permitted by statute.”

Our Nation can be projected everywhere

We are able to demonstate by thousands

more and more each time for 40 years

And more elected by our people

Where dynamics originate

G N P

Fallouts

on the

Has Europe a future ?

From Brittany with thanks we salute to the world.

Yves Lainé Aug, 2014