Following the presidential and parliamentary elections in April and June 2022, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, announced the composition of the new French government on 4^th July 2022. Among others, the Alsatian Olivier Becht was appointed Minister for French Nationals Abroad.

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna has appointed Olivier Becht as Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade, Attractiveness and French Citizens Abroad. Olivier Becht is a former mayor of Rixheim, former vice-president of Mulhouse Alsace Agglomération (Association of Municipalities in the Upper Rhine), and vice-president of the Alsatian departmental council and MP for the Haut-Rhin (Upper Rhine) since 2017.

Further Information:
https://https://www.gouvernement.fr/ministre/olivier-bechtwww2.assemblee-nationale.fr/deputes/fiche/OMC_PA721182
https://www.olivierbecht.com/

From 1^st January to 30^th June 2022, France held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. On July 1^st, 2022, it handed over the presidency to the Czech Republic, which will hold it for the next six months.

In the context of the current crises, the PFUE (Présidence Française du Conseil de l’Union Européenne / Presidency of the Council of the European Union) has worked to achieve ambitious goals in maintaining the green and digital transitions, protecting and adapting its social model, enabling economic recovery, facing defense challenges and affirming the interests and importance of European values. With more than 400 events organised in France and 2,000 meetings of European leaders, set against the particular backdrop of the war in Ukraine, the French Presidency has enabled concrete progress with 130 texts passed on priority political issues for a Europa that is more sovereign, social, greener and closer to the citizen.

Together with the Czech Republic and with Sweden, the third member of the trio, France will remain committed to its contribution to the success of this Presidency.

Further information:
https://www2.assemblee-nationale.fr/deputes/fiche/OMC_PA721182
https://presidence-francaise.consilium.europa.eu/fr/actualites/conference-de-presse-du-president-de-la-republique-au-conseil-europeen/

The parliamentary elections in France also renewed the mandates of the Deputies of the French resident outside of France. Frédéric Petit was re-elected MP for the Seventh constituency of French residents overseas (Central and Eastern Europe).

Following the constitutional amendment of 23^rd July 2008, which introduced representation in the National Assembly of French residents living outside France, eleven deputies were elected by French residents living abroad in the general elections held on 19^th June 2022.

Frédéric Petit was re-elected for the second time as MP of the Seventh constituency of the French residents overseas, which includes 16 Central and Eastern European countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Czech Republic).

More information:
https://www2.assemblee-nationale.fr/deputes/fiche/OMC_PA721182
https://frederic-petit.eu/

Anyone who has recently renewed their ID card may have noticed that it now looks different. The large blue card has become white and the size of a bank card, with an electronic chip. Why has this changed? And how is this new ID card different?

Since March 2021, the new ID card has gradually been adopted throughout France. Smaller than its predecessor, its new format is prescribed by a European regulation that states that from 2^nd August 2021, all ID cards issued by the European member states must be of this size and contain a certain number of safeguards. This is primarily about fighting fraud and identity theft more efficiently. The electronic visual stamp with state signature, as well as the electronic chip, are part of this security measure. Another change is that the period of validity of the ID card will be reduced from 15 to 10 years.

In practice, this means that you do not have to renew your ‘old format’ card if it is still valid. From 2031, however, it will no longer be possible to travel within Europe with the old ID card.

Do you have French nationality and live in Baden-Württemberg? Then the renewal of your identity card may be possible in the office of the Honorary Consul in Freiburg.

More information: http://de.ambafrance.org/-Cartes-nationales-d-identite-et-passeports-

Freiburg im Breisgau is particularly spoiled when it comes to binational educational programmes. The city actually has no fewer than three binational schools, two Franco-German bachelor programmes and three master programmes, which were developed thanks to agreements between the France Centre of the Albert Ludwig University (Freiburg) and the French universities. An insight into a very ambitious cooperation.

“As a child, you will learn languages ​​quickly,” it is said again and again. But who still remembers the language lessons from their school days? Not many. However, the students who attend one of the three Franco-German schools have more chances than others to be fluent in both languages. In fact, the Franco-German day care centre in Freiburg (l’École maternelle franco-allemande de Freiburg), the Franco-German primary school in Freiburg (l’École Elémentaire Franco-Allemande de Freiburg) and the Franco-German high school Freiburg im Breisgau (le Lycée Franco-Allemand Freiburg im Breisgau) all have a common goal: to train young people to be bilingual, bicultural and able to continue their studies in one of the two systems, either French or German. To achieve this goal, the teaching and administrative staff themselves are German-French and the courses are held in both languages.

These schools also share something else; they belong to a larger, worldwide network of French schools, the so-called Agence pour l’enseignement Français à l’Etranger (AEFE, Agency for French Education Abroad). This agency encompasses more than 500 schools and high schools around the world whose educational programmes have been recognised by the French Ministry of Education. The Franco-German Gymnasium in Freiburg im Breisgau boasts another special feature: it is also part of the network of German-French Gymnasium schools. Three Gymnasium schools in France and Germany make up the network, consisting of the Gynasiums of Buc (France, Académie de Versailles), Saarbrücken (Saarland) and Freiburg (Baden-Württemberg). They are considered to be the first implementation of the Elysee Treaty of 1963 and are viewed as a model for Franco-German cooperation in the field of education. The school programme that is taught here is unique, as well as the Abitur that students take in 12^th grade. Both are the results of intergovernmental negotiations that took place in 1972.

After high school comes the university and it is there, too, that the opportunity is given to complete with a binational diploma. The Franco-German University (DFH) offers two Bachelor programmes and three Masters degrees, some of which take place in France and some in Freiburg (France Centre, Albert Ludwigs University or University of Education). The DFH has a unique model: the institution was founded in 1992 to promote binational programmes. More than 200 colleges and universities belong to this network and 6,400 students take part in one of the DFH programmes every year.

The offer is great. There is a suitable German-French training course for every age and every taste, and Freiburg is particularly pioneering in this area. So no, it is actually impossible to miss out on the Franco-German cooperation if you want to study in Freiburg!