A French minister criticises George Clooney’s French passport, citing poor language skills ahead of stricter citizenship rules, sparking a double standard debate.
PARIS: A junior French minister has criticised the granting of French passports to George Clooney and his family, calling it a perceived “double standard”.
Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a junior interior minister, made the remarks as new, stricter language requirements for citizenship are set to take effect.
“Personally, I understand the feeling of some French people of a double standard,” Vedrenne told France Info radio. “We need to be careful about the message we’re sending.”
The news of the Clooney family’s naturalisation comes just before new immigration rules requiring a university-level French certificate and a civic test.
Clooney has admitted his French remains poor despite hundreds of lessons. “I love the French culture, your language, even if I’m still bad at it after 400 days of courses,” the actor told RTL.
However, his boss, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, and the foreign ministry defended the decision. Nunez said he was “very happy” the actor’s family was becoming French.
The foreign ministry stated the naturalisation “meets the conditions set by law”. It highlighted the family’s French home and their contribution to France’s cultural prestige.
French law allows naturalisation for foreigners who contribute to France’s influence, which the ministry said Clooney does through film.
Amal Clooney, a human rights lawyer who speaks fluent French, also contributes through work with institutions in France, the ministry added.
The family underwent security checks, interviews, and paid the required fees during the rigorous procedure.
Clooney, who owns an estate in Provence, has praised French privacy laws for protecting his family from media intrusion.
Some 48,800 people acquired French nationality by decree in 2024, according to official figures.
Hollywood director Jim Jarmusch also recently announced he is applying for French citizenship.
