Electoral rights of mobile Union citizens in municipal elections
TA-9-2023-0038 · P9_TA(2023)0038 · PE736.363
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament approved the Commission's proposal for a Council directive on voting and standing as a candidate in municipal elections by Union citizens living in another member state, as amended.¶ The amended text requires equal treatment with nationals on residence periods and registration proofs, and bans special conditions unless exceptionally justified.¶¶ It requires immediate registration on request, information in all official Union languages, and accessible formats for persons with disabilities and older people.¶¶¶ It deletes the derogations allowing member states to reserve certain local offices for nationals and to restrict voting rights where non-nationals exceed 20% of the electorate.¶¶¶ It requires member states to report on the directive's application and the Commission to evaluate it within two years after the 2029 European elections.¶¶
Key points
- Parliament approves the Commission proposal as adapted to the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party and as amended, and calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly.¶¶
- Union voters and candidates must be treated equally to nationals as regards any minimum residence period and the proofs needed to show compliance.¶¶¶
- Non-national Union citizens must not face special conditions to vote or stand unless exceptional circumstances specific to them justify different treatment.¶
- Member states should endeavour to introduce immediate registration as a voter on request; those who opt out must be invited to register well before the election.¶¶
- Member states must establish distinct electoral rolls for municipal and European elections, and national parties should not make membership conditional on nationality.¶
- Decisions depriving Union citizens of legal capacity due to disability in their home state must not make them ineligible to stand in the member state of residence if that state upholds the right for all persons with such disabilities.¶¶
- Member states must provide information on electoral rights and procedures in all official Union languages, and communicate individual information in the voter's preferred language.¶¶¶
- Information must be accessible to persons with disabilities, older persons, people in remote areas and minority groups, using sign language, Braille or easy-to-read formats, with assistance in voting by a person of their choice.¶
- Member states must endeavour to provide postal voting and, where they offer postal, advance, proxy or electronic voting to nationals, must make it available to Union voters on the same conditions.¶
- Union voters and candidates must have effective legal remedies on the same terms as nationals against refusal of registration or candidacy, and be informed of decisions and remedies in a timely manner.¶¶¶
- Member states must report to the public and the Commission within three years of entry into force and every four years thereafter, with statistical data collected transparently and based on common indicators.¶
- The Commission must assess the directive within two years after the 2029 European elections, accompanied if appropriate by a legislative proposal to amend it.¶
Who is affected
- Union citizens living in a member state of which they are not nationals: gain clearer rules to vote and stand in municipal elections.¶¶¶
- Member states: must ensure equal treatment, information in all official Union languages, accessible formats and data reporting.¶¶
- Persons with disabilities and older citizens: must receive accessible information and assistance in voting.¶
- National political parties: should not make membership conditional on having the nationality of the member state of election.¶
- The Commission: must provide translation support, set common indicators and evaluate the directive.¶¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- 20%: the proportion of non-national Union citizens of voting age above which derogations were previously allowed; the amended text deletes these derogations.¶¶¶
- 31 December 2023: date from which Articles 1 to 7, Article 8(1) and Article 11(2) apply.¶
- Three years: deadline after entry into force for member states' first report to the Commission.¶
- Every four years: frequency of subsequent member state reports.
- Two years after the 2029 elections to the European Parliament: deadline for the Commission's evaluation report.¶
- Two months: period for the Council to object to a delegated act, extendable by two months.¶
Legal basis: Article 22(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶