The Reunification of Brittany or Breton Reunification is a political movement to reunite the Loire-Atlantique department with the administrative region of Brittany, to form the entire cultural and historical region of Brittany. This "reunification" is considered a prerequisite for further Breton autonomy.
Brittany was an independent kingdom from the ninth century, then became a duchy until the dissolution of the French monarchy. [1]
In 1941, the Vichy government separated the region of Loire-Atlantique from historic Brittany, which today remains a part of the Pays de la Loire administrative region. [2] Loire-Atlantique, including Brittany's ancient Duchy capital of Nantes, was separated from the rest of Brittany partly in retaliation for a large number of Bretons supporting the Free French National Council of Charles de Gaulle and also as an attack on Bretons who supported the independence of Brittany. [3]
The division of Brittany has been disputed by Breton militants, who say it was imposed via non-democratic government without consulting the people of Brittany. They argue that the administrative regions of Loire-Atlantique and Brittany are culturally, historically and geographically united and that Breton unity would bring about economic benefit. [4]
On 30 June 2001, 60 years after the division of historic Brittany, a mass demonstration occurred in Nantes calling to reunite Brittany. After this, the Loire-Atlantique council voted unanimously for reunification but in October the Rennes municipal council opposed this. [5]
On 8 October 2004, the Regional Council of Brittany unanimously voted for a resolution "in favour of the administrative reunification of Brittany". They proposed cooperation with the General Council of Loire-Atlantique in matters of mandatory and optional competencies and for the organisation of a unity referendum. [6]
Former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and mayor of Nantes said it was "in the interest of the people" to merge the Loire-Atlantique with Brittany. His successor as mayor of Nantes, Johanna Rolland, added, "For the future of our territories and the people living in them, let's fight for a merger of Pays de la Loire and Bretagne”. Marc Le Fur, a member of parliament for the UMP party, said that President Hollande was "upholding Vichy [the wartime French state]". "He hasn't listened to his Breton ministers, or the Breton members of parliament, or to local businesses, or to cultural leaders. He is deaf. He won't listen to anyone." The organisation 44=BZH accused the French government of listening only to Loire-Atlantique's political leaders, who they claim are desperate to keep their jobs and are ignoring the views of the people of Brittany. [7]
In 2014, between 13,000 and 30,000 people paraded in support of reunification. In 2016 there was also a parade of between 2,500 and 10,000 people. [8]
In October 2018, 1,500 to 3,000 people paraded in Nantes for the reunification of Brittany, calling for a referendum to reunite Loire-Atlantique with Brittany. [9]
In November 2018, over 100,000 citizens of Loire-Atlantique had signed a petition proposed by Bretagne réunie (Brittany reunited) to reunite Loire-Atlantique with Brittany. [9] [10]
In December 2018, the Departmental Council of Loire-Atlantique voted against modifying the regional boundaries directly, but in favour of a referendum on including Loire-Atlantique in the Brittany region. [11]
In 2021, Nantes town council voted in favour of requesting that the French government organise a referendum on Nantes leaving the Pays-de-la-Loire region to become part of Brittany. [12]
In June 2022, Loire-Atlantique council supported a resolution for a referendum. [13]
In October 2021, the Regional Council of Brittany supported a resolution requesting that the French government “begins, with a view to 2024, the legislative process for consulting the electors of Loire-Atlantique on whether or not they wish to join Brittany”. [13]
In 2022, Aziliz Gouez, leader of the Breizh a-Gleiz group of Breton autonomists, supported the reunification of Brittany, which is seen as a prerequisite for a process of autonomy for Brittany. Her call for Breton autonomy was voted for by all the regional councillors (except for far-right Rassemblement National). [14]
In September 2022, the Regional Council of Brittany voted in favour of an impact assessment on reunification, to be jointly financially supported Loire-Atlantique. The results of the impact assessment are due to be published by March 2023 with hope of a consultation. [13]
In May 2023, a "transpartisan" body was formed in Nantes to "create the conditions for dialogue between communities and the State about the organisation of this citizen consultation", with the hope that a referendum can be held quickly. [15] Twenty-five deputies of the five departments of historical Brittany signed a bill for a consultation with the inhabitants of Loire Atlantique on reunification. [16]
In September 2023, in response to an offer by Emmanuel Macron to work towards greater autonomy for Corsica, Loïg Chesnais-Girard, president of the Brittany regional council, noted the disparity between the proposal and the "system of inefficient centralism from another age". [17]
In 2014, a motion was signed in the UK House of Commons by 10 MPs supporting the reunification of the historic region of Brittany during the French government's reorganisation of France's super regions. [18] [ relevant? ]
In the same year, a written statement of opinion from politicians of Plaid Cymru in the Senedd also called on the French government to restore the historic boundaries of Brittany. [19]
In 2015, the European Free Alliance reaffirmed its support for the administrative reunification of Brittany with a single assembly. [20]
Those opposed to Breton reunification argue that it could lead to a dispute between the capitals of Rennes and Nantes and that a united Brittany would not be big enough to deal with international economic competition and so propose a larger zone of the "Great West". [4]
