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Alsatian representatives have passed a resolution that asks France to unify three different political bodies there in order to get further autonomy from Paris. The texts aims at merging the Regional Council of Alsace and the General Councils of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin into a new single territorial collectivity that takes all their duties and powers, to be expanded through a new deal with the French Republic.

The decision was taken yesterday in Colmar by a huge majority of votes (101 for, 1 against and 19 abstained). According to the representatives' vision (among which the conservative UMP holds a majority), the merger should be completed in 2014.

The project revolves around two main ideas. On the one hand, the Alsatian representatives want to avoid what they perceive to be a present duplication of roles between the Regional Council and the general councils. According to the resolution, this could help in "simplifying decision making" and in fostering "cross-border cooperation".

On the other hand, the representatives consider that the new territorial collectivity of Alsace could get new powers from Paris, especially in such areas as education, transport and economic development. According to L'Alsace, all the Alsatian road network could be placed under the authority of the new collectivity.

The merging of the two General Councils into a single authority has been a longstanding goal of the Alsatian movement. The pro-autonomy Unser Land party is an example of this claim.

The transition from the present bodies to the new collectivity must be negotiated in the French National Assembly. Before it can be implemented, the French Parliament should pass a law allowing it. The Alsatian representatives also want to hold a referendum in Alsace to get the support of the population.