″Portugal doesn’t know us. The country is not concerned about those who live abroad″

Natalie or Natalia?

My parents wanted and registered my name on the birth certificate: Nathalie. What happened is that until 1983 all children, daughters of Portuguese parents, who were born abroad, like I did in France, when they went to register at the consulate, could not have the name of the host country, which is on the birth certificate was standing . Everything had to be translated into Portuguese.

That is why Natalia is in her file in Parliament.

For now, yes. I asked the services here if Nathalie Oliveira could appear, but they said no, that was not possible. I have to sort this out at the conservatory. Did you know that there are thousands upon thousands of second generation Portuguese with this problem? People whose name they translated? This is one of the things I would like to see resolved, that the law is changed and the birth name retention procedures are free because they are very expensive. And that makes no sense. From childhood until now, my birth name, which is on the birth certificate, has always been Nathalie. But with the translation on the citizen card stands Natalia. We need to change the law and make legal proceedings free because it is expensive.

Why are you a member of the two PS, the French and the Portuguese?

My relationship with the history and cause of the Portuguese abroad predates my affiliation with the parties, the French PS and the Portuguese PS. And this despite the fact that my house has always been fascinated by Mário Soares, one of the great political figures who brought Portugal freedom. The first invitation I received from Portugal was still in the mandate of José Cesário [então secretário de Estado das Comunidades Portuguesas], in 2003, to participate in a meeting, on the platform of Luso descendants, in Lisbon. I joined the French PS when she arrived at Sególène Royal, I had already worked with them in 2004, in the European elections, but when she arrived, this story started with the French PS. and I was attached [do presidente da câmara] with the victory in the municipal elections in 2007, the first time in 200 years that Metz, a Christian Democratic country, a country of the right, turned into the PS. And there were two terms: from 2008 to 2020.

And now, here?

Physically it was a tsunami. It was an emotion as big as the world, not just Europe. This is a big challenge. I felt the weight of the stones, of the story, I thought of my father. I drew a parallel between his gait and mine. It is a form of reconciliation, a way of continuing to make history, but in an institutional way. Being here is the realization of a dream, the realization that I am part of the European ideal. My father is very typical of the men of jumping and of a life built in France, but with such a strong connection to the country. And that I now represent this entire generation and the second and third generations is a source of pride. But when I came here, it was because of the second generation and a much more recent immigration that voted more than we would think. Honestly I thought the voice level was good, I was hoping for a good voice for PS. I went looking for the second generation. I knew the difference could be there. And it was.

What is your great obligation?

My main role is to reconcile, to reconcile because Portugal doesn’t really know us. Portuguese society, the one that never left the country, has a very vague knowledge of emigration history which is very dramatic. Portugal does not know us. I have a feeling that the country is not concerned about those who live abroad, you can feel this distance. It is my duty, in addition to democratic representation, to guarantee the rights of the second and third generations.

And that is?

It’s about securing the future. My political role, in addition to telling this story, is to connect those who are inside and outside, and try to change some of the laws, especially the issue of electoral law.

What changes in the electoral law?

Voting by post needs to be improved. The security of this vote can be improved. The main thing is to standardize the voting modalities, to harmonize the mood. And it had to be everything: in person, by correspondence and electronic voting. And at every election. I believe that Portugal is in a position to be avant-garde and not afraid to make rapid progress in this area. In fact, I feel there is political will to change this law.

The law is changing, but what about the Portuguese teaching that gets lost? Doesn’t that take away the connection you so defend?

Portuguese is lost, yes. Portuguese cannot be taught in schools alone. We need digitized education, we need associations to expand access to Portuguese education, especially to reach the third generation. I only took lessons in school for four years and after that I never had Portuguese again. I had English, Spanish, Italian, I learned a lot of Romanian, but I never had Portuguese again.