New regions in effect from January 1st
The number of regions in France is to drop from 22 to 13, with the Limousin to fuse with Aquitaine >> Page 5 and Poitou-Charentes
Limousin December 2015 - Issue #74
Expats lose bid for EU referendum vote The House of Lords has voted against an amendment to the referendum bill that would have given long-term expats the right to vote in the upcoming EU referendum. Under current rules, those who have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years cannot vote.
A
n amendment put before the House of Lords that w o u l d have seen long-term expats given the right to vote in Britain's in-out referendum on EU membership has been rejected, despite significant support. During the same debate, the Lords voted to give 16 and 17-yearolds the right to have their say on continued EU membership, a decision that puts it on a collision course with the government which opposes the change. Currently, expats who have lived abroad for more than 15 years cannot vote in British elections, but there has been a major campaign to allow them a oneoff chance to vote in the upcoming referendum on
the basis that it directly affects expats as well as those living in the country. The amendment was defeated in the House of Lords by 214 to 116. A prominent group from the upper house had argued that making a one-off exception for long-term expats to vote in the referendum was no different to the one-off exception that exists in the referendum bill which allows members of the House of Lords to take part (they also cannot vote in General Elections). “It would be extraordinary if the government did not exert themselves to ensure that these British citizens who have been abroad for more than 15 years have the vote on the occasion of the EU referendum, when their own rights and liveli-
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INSIDE > > > NEWS - Limoges most beautiful train station
A feature in Vanity Fair magazine has named Limoges train station amongst the world's most beautiful >> Page 3
NEWS - Are you flying this Christmas?
Crackers, party poppers, wrapped presents... what can you carry with you on the main airlines? Top tips to ensure your Christmas is a merry one >> Page 10
Bilingual - Traditional Christmas Dinner
We take a bilingual look at the traditional British Christmas Dinner and how these customs differ from those of France >> Page 14
The Bugle Business Directory
Countries around the world have been showing solidarity with France in the wake of the Paris attacks >> Page 11
We all have bad habits. Develop a healthy one that actually saves you money!
8 pages of listings for local English-speaking businesses - your essential guide to finding just what you’re looking for >> Pages 18-25
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