Press Release: Disenfranchisement: Commission acts to defend voting rights of EU citizens abroad

The European Commission on 29 January 2014 issued guidance to EU-Member States which have rules in place leading to a loss of voting rights for citizens in national elections, simply because they have exercised their right to free movement in the EU.

Five EU countries (Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom)currently have national rules leading to a loss of national voting rights as a result of periods spent residing abroad. Whilst under the existing EU Treaties, Member States are competent to determine who can benefit from the right to vote in national elections, disenfranchisement practices can negatively affect EU free movement rights.

Disenfranchisement practices are also at odds with the founding premise of EU citizenship which is meant to give citizens additional rights, rather than depriving them of rights.

The European Commission argues that the main justification for disenfranchisement rules in said five countries – that citizens living abroad no longer have sufficient links with their home country – seems outdated in today’s interconnected world.

• Primary Source

European Commission: RAPID: Speech, SPEECH/14/73: Disenfranchisement: defending voting rights for EU citizens abroad http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-73_en.pdf

ESO: Background information: Disenfranchisement of EU citizens http://www.europeansources.info/record/disenfranchisement-of-eu-citizens/

ESO: Background information: European Parliament elections: Citizens should be able to stand as candidates in another EU country more easily http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-parliament-elections-citizens-should-be-able-to-stand-as-candidates-in-another-eu-country-more-easily/

EurActiv, 30.01.14: Reding defends right to vote for EU expats http://www.euractiv.com/justice/commission-wants-member-states-g-news-533104

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