A specific update promoted on the identity card in France caused a stir at the French Academy. Comprised of 40 members, the institution — one of the oldest in the country — criticized the fact that the reformulated document is bilingual, with English translations in fields such as name and date of birth.
The presence of English violates the Constitution, according to which French is the national language, historian Helene Carrere d’Encausse, 92, who was elected immortal in 1990 and permanent secretary of the French Academy since 1999, told Le Figaro newspaper. they asked Prime Minister Jean Castex to suspend the document and said they would take the matter to court if no action is taken.
The modernization of the identity card gradually came into effect in March last year and went into effect for the entire country in August. The last model in force was from 1995. Those who make the document for the first time can obtain the new version or renew it.
According to the French Interior Ministry, the changes were necessary to mitigate crimes involving the document – identity fraud corresponded to 45,000 crimes registered by the policy in 2019 (1.19% of the total), says the ministry.
The bilingual character, explained the ministry, is due to the fact that the identity card is accepted not only as a national document, but also as a travel document when French citizens go to another member country of the European Union (EU). Language translation would facilitate understanding across borders.
Complaining that the French Academy’s voice is no longer heard in public debate, the institution has hired lawyers to write to Prime Minister Castex. “Who decided to put French and English on an equal footing in this document?” Helene Carrere d’Encausse, who occupies chair 14 at the academy, asked Le Figaro.
The position echoed other expectations, including politics — the country has presidential elections scheduled for the month of April. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right Réunion National party, posted a message on social media thanking the French Academy for defending French in the face of what she called the ongoing invasion of English.
“Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron [presidente do país] believes that there is no French culture”, he continued. “It is time to elect a President of the Republic who is proud to speak French and French culture.”
It is not uncommon for identity documents to contain translations in Europe. In Germany, for example, there are translations into English and French. In the United Kingdom, which left the EU two years ago, passports offer translations into French.
The presence of English in the new French document had already been criticized, with some politicians and experts claiming that, by doing so, the government would facilitate the predominance of English, when, in fact, it should protect the French linguistic heritage.
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