‘Housing first’ for Enfants du Pays, say National Council chiefs

Photo: Monaco Life
Photo: Monaco Life

The President of the National Council, Stéphane Valeri, and Franck Lobono, President of the elected body’s Housing Commission, have said that they welcome the decision of the Government to accept – with its own changes – the bill, passed unanimously in the Council’s previous term, defining the concept of Enfant du Pays (child of the country) to describe French citizens who have been continuously resident in Monaco.

They said that although this is a step in the right direction, it is purely symbolic and fails to establish any concrete rights for those concerned.

“It’s clear that in the specific area of housing the proposed law does nothing,” they said. What is important today for the Enfants du Pays is above all the question of their housing and thus of their ability to maintain their residence in the Principality.

They also criticised the Government’s “too restrictive” definition, which not only requires birth in Monaco and continuous residence but also that at least one parent has been born in the Principality and resided continuously, at least until the child’s birth.

“For us, anyone born in Monaco and who has lived here without interruption since birth is a child of the country.”

They added that they will endeavour to implement a concrete policy for the children of the country. They said that the first step must be to counter the threats to the protected sector.

They suggest that enfants du pays should be second only to Monegasques in being awarded preference in the allocation of state housing.

“For human and social reasons, as well as in the economic interest of the country, we believe that the future of the Principality lies in the social mix, that is the cohabitation of Monegasques and children of the country – sharing the same culture and the same attachment to Monaco – with communities of wealthy foreigners who are welcome. We will soon be tabling a bill to make the protected sector permanent,” they promised.


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