Founded 1980 | ||
The Français du Monde - ADFE, also known as Association démocratique des Français de l'étranger - Français du Monde (Association of French people overseas - French of the World), ADFE-FdM, ADFE and Français du Monde, is a French political and cultural group with a worldwide presence. It was established in 1980 to support abroad the candidacy of François Mitterrand to the Presidency of the French Republic, and was quite active in obtaining in 1982 the right for French citizens living overseas to elect their own representatives to a consultative assembly, the Conseil Superieur des Français de l'Etranger (CSFE), the denomination of which was modified in 2004 in "Assemblée des Français de l'étranger" (AFE), electing twelve senators to the French Senate.
One of its main proposals, to allow French citizens overseas to elect members of the National Assembly of France, has been accepted and will become reality in 2012.
The ADFE is one of the three groupings in the AFE with 56 of the 155 elected members, and has chosen three of the twelve senators representing French people abroad. While the groups in the AFE are not affiliated directly with French political parties, the ADFE is a left-wing grouping. Its current senators sit all with the Socialist Party, but previously one was part of the Green Party.
The ADFE encourages and assists voter registration for presidential elections and referendums. In addition to its political role, the ADFE extends assistance to French citizens overseas in various fields, especially in those related to social help, education and to dealings with consular offices, such as changes of status, issue of documents, pensions, and similar matters.