Americans in France: Consulate closures, Lady Liberty and US-France emigration
Welcome to The Local's "Americans in France" newsletter for members, featuring all the news and practical information you need as an American resident, visitor or second-home owner in France. You can sign up to receive it directly to your inbox before we publish it online via the link below.
Dear Americans in France,
Relations between Europe and the United States are
tense
, to say the least. In France, politicians have become bolder in their critiques of the US government.
Last week, a French senator gave a
searing speech
, which ended up going viral, where he compared Washington to "Nero's court, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a buffoon on ketamine in charge of purging the civil service."
Another French MP is asking for the
Statue of Liberty back
. Centre-left politician Raphael Glucksmann said: "We're going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: 'Give us back the Statue of Liberty'".
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France does already have
at least a dozen Statues of Liberty
already, though I don't think this is what Glucksmann was getting at.
More seriously, the French government has expressed an interest in coming to the rescue of researchers who have lost funding in the US, and we've put together a guide geared toward
American researchers interested in moving
to France.
As an American in France, I've been asked more questions about my political opinions in the last month (sometimes by perfect strangers) than in the entirety of my almost six years in France. I understand the curiosity, but these conversations can be quite tedious. I've found that turning the question around and asking the inquirer their thoughts can alleviate some of the pressure.
It's not just the tedious conversations, Americans in France are still impacted by US policy, despite living abroad.
One clear example of this is the (as yet unconfirmed) plan to shrink the State Department and shut down several US consulates around the world - including four that are located in France.
Americans in Strasbourg decided to protest the possible closure of the consulate in eastern France, which has stood since 1866. We also reached out to Americans in France to hear about how the planned
consulate closures would affect them.
And current events have played a role in
pushing more Americans to France
permanently.
According to preliminary immigration data for 2024, 13,000 first-time
cartes de séjour
were awarded to Americans - an increase of 5.3 percent from 2023 (12,341 first-time cards awarded).
We also asked readers who recently moved to France to explain their motivations, and almost half of respondents mentioned President Donald Trump and politics in some capacity.
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Usually, that was not the only reason - other factors included being close to retirement age, seeking a better quality of life and looking to be near friends and family.
We also asked readers about some of the challenges they experienced when moving to France - people mentioned struggles with bureaucracy, such as dealing with paperwork and préfecture appointments to renew residency cards, opening
bank accounts
, finding a
doctor
, locating housing, and navigating taxes.
We always offer the opportunity - via our
ongoing survey
- to give your tips to other Americans in France and to let us know if you have any questions you need answered.
One reader, Louise Burnham, recommends other Americans "Get to know French people!
"Don't just associate with other expats. There are many associations or English-speaking groups that can help you meet French people, even if you don't speak French."
If making friends with locals sounds daunting, here's how to
start off with some basic small-talk.
Meanwhile, another reader asked us about the "Legal rules for water damage when renting/owning". We've got a thorough guide on damage and disasters, plus how to make a
French home insurance claim
(hopefully you don't have to!).
Thanks for reading, and as always, you can reach me at genevieve.mansfield@thelocal.com.
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France 24
43 minutes ago
- France 24
World leaders call for restraint, de-escalation after Israeli strikes on Iran
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the attack as a "declaration of war"and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel would pay for its 'foolish mistake'. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation in Iran would continue for 'as long as it takes' while US President Donald Trump warned Tehran of "even more brutal" attacks if it does not make a deal on its nuclear programme". "Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left ... JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," Trump said in a post on social media. Earlier the US President told Fox News that the US hoped to continue talks with Iran to end its escalating uranium enrichment programme. "Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table," he said. 'Maximum restraint' French President Emmanuel Macron said Israel had the right to defend itself, but called for Israel and Iran to 'exercise maximum restraint and to de-escalate', and "avoid jeopardising the stability of the entire region". Macron spoke on the phone with Netanyahu after Israel launched its attack on Iran, the French presidential palace said on Friday, without giving further details. Macron also held a call on Friday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to discuss the situation, their offices said. "The leaders discussed the long-held grave concerns about Iran's nuclear programme, and called on all sides to refrain from further escalation that could further destabilise the region," said a statement from Starmer's office. UN Chief Antonio Guterres also called for 'maximum restraint' from both sides to avoid "descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the regoin can hardly afford", his spokesperson said. Russia urged its citizens in Israel to leave the country, as spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told state news agencies that the Israeli strikes were 'unprovoked'. 'Russia is concerned and condemns the sharp escalation of tensions,' he said. China said it was 'deeply worried" about the "severe consequences" of Israel's actions, as it called on relevant parties to 'take actions that promote regional peace and stability". 'Dangerous escalation' Countries neighbouring Israel and Iran roundly condemned the attacks. Iraq said the Isreli stikes were a violation of international law and "a serious threat to international peace and security". It lodged a complaint with the United Nations Security Council over Israel's "violation' of its airspace during the attacks. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the attacks a 'clear provocation that disregards international law'. A vocal critic of Israel and a fervent advocate of the Palestinian cause, Erdogan urged the international community to "put an end to Israeli banditry". Oman and Qatar said the attacks threatened stability in the region. Meanwhile, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, long seen as the Iran-led axis's most powerful group said that Israel's "brutal" strike threatened to "ignite the region". "This enemy adheres to no logic or laws and knows only the language of killing, fire, and destruction," the group said. Yemen's Houthi rebels said they backed Iran's 'full and legitimate right to respond by all possible means" to the Israeli strike. The Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas, whose October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war, said that Israel's 'aggression' constituted a 'dangerous escalation that threatens to destabilise the region'.
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
Pizza delivery monitor alerts to secret Israel attack
About an hour before Iranian state TV first reported loud explosions in Tehran, pizza orders around the Pentagon went through the roof, according to a viral X account claiming to offer "hot intel" on "late-night activity spikes" at the US military headquarters. "As of 6:59 pm ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity," the account "Pentagon Pizza Report" posted on Thursday. Not confining its analysis to pizza, the account noted three hours later that a gay bar near the Pentagon had "abnormally low traffic for a Thursday night," and said this probably pointed to "a busy night at the Pentagon." While far from scientific, the Pentagon pizza theory "is not something the internet just made up," The Takeout, an online site covering restaurants and food trends, noted earlier this year. Pentagon-adjacent pizza joints also got much busier than usual during Israel's 2024 missile strike on Iran, it said, as there are "a multitude of fast food restaurants in the Pentagon complex, but no pizza places." Pizza deliveries to the Pentagon reportedly doubled right before the US invasion of Panama in December 1989, and surged again before Operation Desert Storm in 1991. President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal he was fully aware in advance of the bombing campaign, which Israel says is needed to end Iran's nuclear program. "We know what's going on." For the rest of Americans, pepperoni pie activity was not the only way to tell something was about to happen. Washington had already announced it was moving some diplomats and their families out of the Middle East on Wednesday. And close to an hour before Israel unleashed its firepower on Iran, the US ambassador in Jerusalem, Mike Huckabee, sent out a rather revealing X post: "At our embassy in Jerusalem and closely monitoring the situation. We will remain here all night. 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!'"
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Middle East power balance has tilted dramatically to Israel
Iran suffered huge military losses during the Israeli strikes and has limited capacities to hit back, according to an independent security expert Claude Moniquet. Moniquet served as an intelligence officer in the French services and has written several books about the region. He told Euronews that Israel committed an act of war on Iran. "I will not call an operation that involved more than 200 planes, missiles, 300 strikes, 100 sites hit, and at least a dozen or fifteen Iranian leaders eliminated a limited operation. It is an act of war that has been expected for 25 years. For 25 years, the Israelis have been saying that they will not tolerate Iran having an atomic bomb. Iran has been warned multiple times." Moniquet said that Iran now has four options by way of response, of which the first - sending drones towards Israel - has already begun. "They have already started trying to use drones to deliver direct strikes on Israel. The second possibility is a joint operation with proxies like Yemen's Huthis," he said. The third possibility, according to Moniquet, that they will deploy "one way or another" in the long or medium term, is "the use of terrorism". "Iran is a terrorist state that has attacked, including Europe and France, multiple times over the past 40 years," he said. "And the last possibility, if there were an escalation, would be the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, which would be a disaster for Europe." He added that the chance of a full-scale war in the region is not out of the question, but added that Iran has limited capacities for that. "The extent of their responses will determine what happens next, and we can effectively fall into an all-out war. Now, quite clearly, I don't think the Iranians have the capacity to wage an all-out war against Israel, which has air supremacy in the region. We have seen that Iran's military-security system is totally disorganised." According to Moniquet, Israel systematically weakened Iranian proxies in the region with the war against Hezbollah and Hamas in the past few years, and now delivered a blow that will change the balance of power. "Iran today has undergone, whatever they say, a very, very heavy military failure, and it is not over. However, behind Hezbollah, behind Hamas, behind the Houthis in Yemen, what do we find? We find the Iranians. So what is happening, if the Israelis go far enough, is likely to change the whole geopolitical map in the Middle East." The expert added that this could also offer a chance for the Iranian population to revolt against the its leadership. Claude Moniquet said the conflict puts Europe on a high security risk footing. "They may well ask a Hezbollah cell or an Iranian cell like the one that was dismantled in London a few weeks ago to strike somewhere in Europe. This is an important possibility, and it means that Jewish communities, Israeli diplomatic and commercial interests, Israeli boats, Israeli planes, but probably also American interests, are now in a position of risk in Europe and could be hit." Moniquet said that the European Union has lost influence in the region and has no say in diplomacy over the future of the Middle East. "For Europe, but everyone sees that the European, as they say in soccer, is sitting on the sidelines. Negotiations were taking place between the Americans and the Iranians, the Europeans were excluded. Europeans have been pretty much excluded from all major diplomatic manouevres around the war in Gaza or the war in Lebanon." The main reason behind this loss of influence, Moniquet believes, is to be found in Europe's dwindling military power. The severity of the European Union's housing crisis has made it harder for citizens to find a home, as a combination of housing supply shortages and high rents continues to be a major issue. According to Eurostat, house prices went up by 48% and rents went up by 22% in 2023. Meanwhile, inflation drove overall prices up by 36%. And the burden has largely affected younger people the most. On average in 2023, EU households spent 19.7% of their disposable income on housing. In the same year, Eurostat data shows that young people make up a significant portion of the population that spend at least 40% of their income on housing. Furthermore, 26% of young people in the EU live in overcrowded housing, 9.2% more than the overall population. Speaking to Euronews, Housing Europe secretary general Sorcha Eduards said "We are compromising the capacity of youth to become independent, start their own lives, start their families. So again, in countries where we have a critical mass of limited-profit housing, we've seen that the age for becoming independent is indeed higher than countries that don't have that." "So, I think this already signals that increasing the amount of limited-profit housing and improving access criteria helps young people actually access that (housing)." The crux of solving this issue can be identified with a change in mentality. "We've relied too much on market forces, and then of course since 2008 we've had, with the great financial crisis, a huge impact on the capacity of the construction sector, so there was a big reduction in the number of companies delivering but also an increase in difficulty of households in actually paying their bills," says Eduards. "And I think when you look at that, we wouldn't be here, we wouldn't be talking about the housing crisis if rents and house prices had stayed aligned with income. But we've had a huge, let's say, differentiation now," she notes. When it comes to short-term rentals, Eduards explained that it "is another example where public policy has not kept up with societal needs. So, we are not making sure that our cities can house our students, that they can house our low and middle-income groups and that they can adequately house the elderly. We are allowing short-term lets to erode long-term lets." "We end up in a situation where we have empty apartments that are merely an investment. We are pushing students out of school, and families to the outskirts. We are pushing workers that are needed in the city centre to the outskirts, causing them a huge amount of stress." Some countries have already identified what the problem is. In the EU, some countries have already set up sustainable housing models. In Germany, 3.2 million people live in cooperatives, a not-for-profit model which is entirely democratic. In Belgium's Flanders region, poverty was reduced by 40% amongst people who have access to social housing. Denmark has launched programmes to ensure that young people can have access to scholarships, and that they can avoid slipping into a long-term "couch-surfing" situation, putting them at risk of becoming homeless. In the Netherlands, over 20–30% of residents live in limited-profit housing. The ideas are there, says Eduards, but we need to rely a lot less on market forces and go back to viewing housing as a fundamental right. "I think it's a time for a change in the paradigm. It's a time to build up a critical mass of housing that is responsible, that caters to our societal needs, and is not only about maximising short-term profit month-to-month", she argues.
