Daniel Cohn-Bendit became French “full circle” – Europe1

Europe 1 Louis Hausalter and Julian Pearce Published at 7:02, May 24, 2015 , Modified at 7:02, May 24, 2015

Daniel Cohn-Bendit on September 3, 2014. © MARTIN BUREAU / AFP

By Louis Hausalter and Julian Pearce

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Green MEP and former columnist of the morning on Europe 1, obtained French nationality. The interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, called Saturday for the news to him. “It is the reality of what I am. I am French and German and European,” he said at the microphone Europe 1 to justify his choice.

Born in 1945 in Montauban, hidden German-Jewish parents in France because of Nazi persecution, Daniel Cohn-Bendit has remained stateless until 1959 before choosing German citizenship to escape the French military service. During the demonstrations of May 68, he was the subject of an order of expulsion from French territory for “disturbing public order” during the student protests which he was a leader.

“full circle”. “On 21 May 1968, I was notified of the decision of the Interior Minister of the time to expel me from France because I was German. And 22 May 2015, the Interior Minister announced that I am French. The circle is complete “, enjoys Daniel Cohn-Bendit.

Having a passport German or French, “for a long time, it did not matter to me,” admits the former elected. “I will finish my next 30 years by having dual nationality,” he concludes. That’s all you want it!