GLNF received recognition from 10 European Grand Lodges and the Supreme Council for France loses its English recognition

GLNF received recognition from 10 European Grand Lodges and the Supreme Council for France loses its English recognition

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As expected, the signatory Grand Lodges of Basel recognized their failure. According to the Masonic Press Agency, the Grand Lodges of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Estonia and Germany re-recognized the French National Grand Lodge (GLNF). The decisions of the Scandinavian Grand Lodges came in the context of the decision taken by the United Grand Lodge of England, an action supporting GLNF's reality.

Less expected were the decisions of the United Grand Lodges of Germany, Grand Lodge of Austria and the Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium. These Grand Lodges, together with the Grand Lodges of Switzerland (Alpine) and Luxembourg, were the signatories of the Declarations of Basel, Brussels and Berlin, documents which encouraged the Grand Lodge of France (GLdF) to hope for international recognition.

The decision of the Senate of the United Grand Lodges of Germany (31 January 2015) comes amid the failure of GLdF and that of Grand Master Marc Henry to promote, vote and promulgate the fundamental constitutional changes necessary to start the process of international recognition and also on the background changes made within GLNF, realized with great success under the mandate of Grand Master Jean Pierre Servel. The decision of the Senate was unanimously passed.

The Grand Lodge of Luxembourg re-recognized the French National Grand Lodge. The decision was adopted on 11 February 2015 during an Extraordinary session of the mentioned Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge of Luxembourg is the fourth signatory Grand Lodge of the Basel Declaration which recognized again GLNF. The ALPINA Grand Lodge of Switzerland will recognize again GLNF, most likely at the beginning of this summer (at the latest).

The same source informs that a month ago (8 January 2015), the Supreme Council for England and Wales announced the suspension of recognition for the Supreme Council for France (SCplF). The decision of the Supreme Council in London has immediate effect and stipulates, among other, that the members of the Scottish Order in England should not to visit the Lodges/Chapters under the jurisdiction of the AASR of SCplF. Also, members SCplF's members must not visit the Lodges/Chapters within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council for England and Wales.

Given the position adopted by the current leader of SCplF (Jean-Luc Fauque, President of the Confederation of European Supreme Councils) regarding the French National Grand Lodge and taking into account the decision of the United Grand Lodge of England, it is understandable why the English Jurisdiction of the AASR decided to suspend relations with the Supreme Council for France.

Equally important was the lack of representatives from Northern and Southern Jurisdictions of the AASR for the United States at SCplF's Annual Communication in December 2014. It is important to observe which will be the international reactions following the decision in London and how and if Fauque will be received at the biennial of the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America (Washington D.C.).