TheFrançais du Monde – ADFE, also known asAssociation démocratique des Français de l’étranger – Français du Monde(Association of French people overseas – French of the World),ADFE-FdM,ADFEandFrançais du Monde, is aFrenchgroup with a worldwide presence. It was established in 1980 , and was quite active in obtaining in 1982 the right for French citizens living overseas to elect their own representatives to a consultative assembly, theConseil Superieur des Français de l’Etranger(CSFE), the denomination of which was modified in 2004 in “Assemblée des Français de l’étranger” (AFE), electing twelve senators to the French Senate.

One of its main proposals, to allow French citizens overseas to elect members of the National Assembly of France, has been accepted and will become reality in 2012.

The ADFE is one of the three groupings in the AFE with 29 of the 90 elected members, and has chosen four of the twelve senators representing French people abroad. While the groups in the AFE are not affiliated directly with French political parties, the ADFE revendicates values belonging to the left wing. Its current senators sit with left affiliated parties except for one currently sitting with a right wing party ( LREM).

The ADFE encourages and assists voter registration for presidential elections and referendums. The ADFE, which is not a political party, extends assistance to French citizens overseas in various fields, especially in those related to social help, education and to dealings with consular offices, such as changes of status, issue of documents, pensions, and similar matters.