France Blog

French Administrative Supreme Court rejected a stateless status application from a Sahrawi applicant

France's highest administrative court has denied statelessness status to a Sahrawi-born individual residing in the country since 2013. The decision,…
/ Maëliss GUILLAUD, Esq. Immigration and Asylum Attorney, New York Bar and French (Lille) Bar
Toolkit cover image Blog

A multilingual toolkit on statelessness: how to identify, support and refer people at risk of statelessness

Across Europe, low levels of awareness of statelessness are widespread. For NGO workers, civil servants and refugee practitioners, this a lack of…
/ Cécile Queval, Head of European advocacy, Forum Réfugiés
Levi Meir Clancy Blog

Expert opinion: How the Netherlands, France and the UK are leaving children stranded at risk of statelessness in Iraq and Syria

Thousands of children associated with alleged ‘foreign fighters’ have been detained in Iraq and Syria since the territorial fall of the Islamic State…
/ Professor René DeGroot (Professor emeritus, Maastricht University), Philomène Franssen (Independent consultant), Alison Harvey (Barrister at No5 Chambers) and Dr Rachel Pougnet (University of Bristol)
Cover image Publications

Situation assessment of statelessness, health, and COVID-19 in Europe

Our new report exposes specific challenges stateless people face as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and responses needed to address them. 
/ Report
Photo: Drawing of a child detained in Al-Roj camp in Syria. Blog

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity…really? Why France’s forsaken “children of ISIS”* may grow up to view the French Republic’s values differently.

There are currently an estimated 300 French children stranded in various displacement camps in Northeastern Syria. Deprivation of nationality of one…
/ Philomene Franssen, MA Candidate at the University Of London and Independent Consultant
Rachel work permit Blog

Citizenship and the fall of the British Empire: A system of exclusion

After 258 years under British and French colonial rule, Mauritius gained independence in 1968. The new Constitution of Mauritius created different…
/ Rachel Pougnet, Researcher in citizenship and national security
Blog

Can a Palestinian refugee enjoy the status of a stateless person? A French perspective

This article solely reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not express the views of the Court of Justice, neither the views of other…
/ Giulia Bittoni, Lawyer Linguist, Court of Justice of the European Union
Blog

Birthright citizenship and children born in a conflict zone

As of 1 February 2020, an amendment to the Danish citizenship act means that a child born to a Danish parent who has unlawfully entered or stays in a…
/ Eva Ersbøll – Lawyer and Senior Researcher, ENS Associate Member
Blog

Mennesson v France and 2019 ECtHR advisory opinion concerning the recognition in domestic law of a legal parent

** This is an edited version of a longer article first published in the Statelessness and Citizenship Review. Thanks to Adam and SCR for their…
/ Adam Weiss, Director of the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC)
Statelessness: A short guide for refugees and asylum seekers Publications

Statelessness: A short guide for refugees and asylum seekers

Our Stateless Journeys research shows that there is a lack of information available to stateless refugees and asylum seekers about their rights.…
/ Information leaflet
Blog

#StatelessnessINDEX – a new tool to raise awareness on gaps in French law, policy and practice

Forum réfugiés-Cosi has been working in defense of the right to seek asylum and on reception of asylum seekers and refugees in France since 1982.…
/ Cécile Queval, European Advocacy Officer - Forum réfugiés - Cosi
Blog

The normalisation of exceptional powers: deprivation of nationality in France and in the UK

It is now widely accepted that the post 9/11 context prompted a dilution of the rights attached to citizenship.
/ Rachel Pougnet, PhD candidate at University of Bristol