A bill on the French Republic's territorial makeup is making steps forward in Parliament, and while the norm will not be ready before Autumn, it is increasingly clear that any prospect for the reunification of Brittany will need to wait at least until 2016-2019. At that time, options for the department of Loire-Atlantique re-joining Brittany will be left at the expense of the will of the Pays de la Loire region, which could retain a veto power.

Reunification proponents argue that present-day Loire-Atlantique territories had been part of Brittany from the Middle Ages to World War II, and recall that Brittany and Loire-Atlantique still have a shared culture. Moreover, they also hold that Nantes (Loire-Atlantique's capital city) forms a coherent economic axis with the other two main Breton cities (Rennes and Brest).

Loire-Atlantique is currently one of Pays de la Loire's five departments. The redefinition of France's territorial map had in theory opened the door for the transfer of this department to Brittany. The door is indeed open, but not that much. Last Friday National Assembly members ratified what had previously been announced: the first phase of France's territorial reorganization will not allow individual departments to join other regions. This means that only entire regions can merge with others -in this case, it would imply the whole of Pays de la Loire joining Brittany, an option that most Breton representatives reject.

A second phase will be triggered from 2016 to 2019: individual departaments will then be able to move from one region to another one. But the procedure will not be an easy one: according to s report submitted by AM Carlos Da Silva, a three-fifth majority in the departament council and in both regional councils involved will be required. That is: a mere 41% of Pays de la Loire council members could eventually prevent Loire-Atlantique from re-joining Brittany, even if 100% of Loire-Atlantique council members would support the move.

More parliamentary debate in Autumn

The announcement does not suit parties and movements having advocated Breton reunification of Brittany for years. 44 Breizh group recalled that after the Summer break the bill is yet to be discussed in the Senate, and therefore it could be modified again. But if this does not happen, Breizh 44 said this will prove "Breton representatives' inability to advance the situation in Paris" and furthermore it will be clear that "the solution is to make decisions here in Brittany, for example through the organization of local referendums."

The Breton Party and the Mouvement Bretagne Progrès sharply criticized Breton members of the Socialist Party, whom they blamed for "cowardice" for not being strong enough in advocating Breton reunification in the French Parliament. The Breton Democratic Union asked for a referendum in which Loire-Atlantique citizens could decide to join Brittany.

Further information:

• Follow up on Nationalia: Thousands in Nantes ask for Breton reunification and Hollande's new territorial map of France sparks discontent