From Postal to E-Voting: MEPs Discuss Voting Rights of EU Citizens Living Abroad
MEPs have met with experts to discuss the voting rights of EU citizens who live outside of their home country and possible ways to improve and reinforce such rights.
In a Constitutional Affairs Committee meeting, speakers analysed the current voting framework set in place and explained which changes are necessary to reinforce EU citizens’ right to vote and contest in European and municipal elections in their country of residence.
In-person voting is mandatory in Malta, meaning that postal voting or e-voting is not allowed in the electoral system. Scores of Maltese people travel from across the globe to be in the country to vote, at a major expense to taxpayers. Meanwhile, there are also many others who simply do not return to the country at all.
Professor Hutcheson from Malmo University noted that any existing participation gaps in elections are due to inconsistencies between member states. He also pointed out that EU citizens end up having different rights because of differences in representation and candidacy rights, as well as in voting methods and accessibility to information.
For this reason, Professor Hutcheson suggested that external voting rights should not be handled exclusively at member state level.
Dr Russo from the University of Maastricht expressed how European-wide uniformity of voting rights can help create an enhanced idea of European identity and argued that different participation thresholds should be harmonised.
She suggested that information campaigns are effective tools for tackling the gap in the representation of mobile EU citizens’ views and that member states should pay attention to data collection since it can be used as a tool for the European Parliament to improve legislation in the future.
Professor Dr Vink from the European University Institute in Florence pointed out that the pandemic made the lack of remote voting options and uneven access to electoral rights for mobile EU citizens even more prevalent than it was before.
He recommended the general expansion of available voting methods (such as postal and e-voting) and the development of strategies for those who might be quarantined or stranded abroad as well as for vulnerable groups.
By the end of the discussion, MEPs decided on three main points which need to be focussed on: the importance of harmonising voting rules across the EU, the further digitalisation of the voting process and the use of remote voting techniques.
MEPs also acknowledged that the lack of information available can also negatively affect political participation. This comes just after the Maltese general election, which had an approximate voter turnout of 85.5%, the lowest turnout in 60 years.
This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
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