Alsace fights back: a French David vs. Goliath story

In June 2014 President Hollande of France announced his intention to decrease the number of metropolitan regions from 22 to 14 and set the objective of a constitutional reform providing for the abolition of the General Council in 2020.

The French National Assembly passed the territorial reform on the 25 November 2014.

The feature by Lucas Goetz discusses the reaction in Alsace to the proposal to merge the Alsace region in a 'mega-region' with Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne.

For years, the French state had tried to belittle, oppress and finally destroy Alsace and its culture. Now the Alsatians were fighting back.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: French territorial reform: bigger regions, greater EU influence http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-territorial-reform-bigger-regions-greater-eu-influence/

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