European Collectivity of Alsace
The European Collectivity of Alsace (French: Collectivité européenne d'Alsace; Alsatian: D'Europäischa Gebiatskärwerschàft Elsàss) is a future single territorial collectivity in the Alsace region of France. On 1 January 2021, the departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin will merge into a single territorial collectivity but will remain part of the region Grand-Est. The creation of this new entity was voted by the French Parliament on 25 July 2019 and Law 2019-816 delimiting its powers was promulgated on 2 August 2019.[1][5]
European Collectivity of Alsace Collectivité européenne d'Alsace (fr) | |
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Status | Collectivity of the French Republic |
Capital and largest city | Strasbourg 48°35′N 7°45′E |
Official language | French |
Regional languages | Alsatian Welche Meridional Frankish Rhine Frankish |
Demonym(s) | Alsatian |
Government | |
• President of the departmental council | To be elected |
Legislature | Departmental Council of Alsace |
Establishment | |
• Creation | 1 January 2021[1] |
Area | |
• Total | 8,280 km2 (3,200 sq mi) |
Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 1,895,811[2] |
• 2017 census | 1,889,589[3][4] |
ISO 3166 code | FR-A |
Alsatian voters had already voted in favour of the creation of a single territorial collectivity in a referendum in 2013; however, in the less populous of the two departments, Haut-Rhin, a majority of voters had rejected the proposal.[6]
History
The original Region of Alsace, created in 1956, ceased to exist on 1 January 2016 when the French parliament voted to merge some administrative regions, reducing their number from 22 to 18.[7]
Status
Alsace will have a status similar to that of Corsica and to some extent the overseas departments and regions. Its competencies will be both the ones of a region and a department.
Languages
While French is the sole official language of the country according to Article 2 of the Constitution of France, Law 2019-816 contains provisions to promote regional languages at school. The collectivity will also be tasked to create a Committee related to the German language in Alsace. This last provision is closely related to Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 of the Aachen Treaty.
References
- Government of the French Republic (2 August 2019). "LOI n° 2019-816 du 2 août 2019 relative aux compétences de la Collectivité européenne d'Alsace". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (14 January 2020). "Estimation de la population au 1ᵉʳ janvier 2020". insee.fr (in French). Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- Combined 2017 population of the departements of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin.
- National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (30 December 2019). "Populations légales des départements en 2017". insee.fr (in French). Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- "The government validates the creation of a "European collectivity of Alsace" in 2021". Teller Report. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- "Echec du référendum alsacien : "Un signe fort pour la classe politique en place"". Le Monde (in French). 7 April 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- "Le 1er janvier, la France passe à 13 régions en métropole". Le Point (in French). 30 December 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2020.