Aspects related to revise of the VIIth article of the Constitution from 1866 consignment in French diplomatic rapports
Autor: Ana Maria Vele
The Jewish problem represented a very complex issue in the history of XIXth century Romania, and its aspects once revealed, contributed to the making of a complete image of the most important event that followed the proclamation of the Romanian independence, which was its recognition by the great powers. A great deal of diplomatically notes written by the French representatives presented the importance of the debate of the status that the Jews have had in the Principalities. Their opinion was generally objective, but not entirely, and correlated with other sources more or less subjective, they rewrote an important part of the Romanian history with many implications and consequences. Although they considered themselves fighting in favour of the human rights principle, they were aware that such a process would produce anxiety in the Romanian community and they recommended a prudent approach to the issue.
Considering the great Jewish number and their economical part played in the Romanian society, the Romanian political authorities saw them as a potential danger for the country and there were adopted some discriminatory laws justified according to them by the reason of the Jewish great influence in case of them having political and civil rights. The French consuls revealed their own opinion and advised the Romanian political elite to abolish those laws, which were simply „old-fashion”. The Jews had a significant victory when the Treaty of Berlin was signed because the recognition of the Romanian independence was restricted, so the 7th article of the Romanian constitution had to be revised in order to give them the Romanian citizenship.