Your views: 'How can you be allowed to become French without speaking the language'

"We recently wrote about the news of George and Amal Clooney becoming French in our article Just how did George and Amal Clooney get French citizenship? This feat has left many of our readers, who are long-term residents of France, scratching their heads. For those who have spent decades contributing to the country and never offered a fast-track route to French citizenship, the ease with which celebrities bypass traditional nationalisation hurdles seems to be a bitter pill to swallow."

"Deborah Baron-Bignand highlighted this disconnect, noting her own long history in the country. She said: "We are just not famous enough. I have been here since 1989. Even though all my income is spent here helping the economy hélas, the logic is unexplainable and certainly pas égalitaire!" This sentiment was echoed by Elizabeth Gottesfeld, who pointed out the specific barriers facing older immigrants. "For the rest of us, who are American retirees living in France for 20 years, we have been excluded from becoming French because our financial support came from our labor in the States," she explains."

Readers express strong frustration that high-profile individuals like George and Amal Clooney appear to receive faster routes to French citizenship while long-term residents face lengthy, opaque naturalisation processes. Many long-term expatriates who have contributed economically and socially for decades report feeling excluded and perceive preferential treatment for the famous. Older immigrants and retirees cite specific financial and residency barriers that prevent naturalisation despite long-term presence. The perceived inequality fuels resentment and questions about fairness in French citizenship procedures and whether the principle of égalité is being applied consistently.

Read at The Local France