University of Westminster holds public debate ahead of the French parliamentary elections

The event formed part of the HOMELandS research group’s public engagement work and was held in collaboration between Leïla Lamnaouer, Editor-In-Chief at the French Morning London news group, and Dr Saskia Huc-Hepher, Senior Lecturer in the School of Humanities at Westminster and specialist in the French diaspora based in London.

The debate lasted almost three hours, and brought together six of the 11 candidates for the elections, which the French community based in London, and the rest of the UK and Northern Europe, are entitled to participate in as French citizens living abroad.

It covered four major themes: the EU and international relations; the economy, including the cost of living, French companies based in London, and pensions; the environment; and questions affecting the everyday lives of French people in the UK and the rest of the Northern Europe constituency, with a strong focus on education in the French language, competition for the Eurostar, and Brexit, passports, and citizenship.

With representatives from the entire political spectrum - from the newly formed NUPES (Nouvelle Union Populaire Ecologique et Sociale) party to the Reconquête and Rassemblement National parties at the opposite end of the political spectrum - the debate was not without friction and battles of wit.

Speaking about the debate, Dr Huc-Hepher said: “It was an excellent opportunity to showcase the migration research going on at Westminster and a great honour to host the event, especially in such a historically significant venue."

Watch the full debate on the French Morning London YouTube channel.