Meine Merkliste Geteilte Merkliste PDF oder EPUB erstellen

Voting Rights for Nationals of Non-EU States | Zuwanderung, Flucht und Asyl: Aktuelle Themen | bpb.de

Kurzdossiers EU-Migrations- und Asylpolitik EU-Türkei-Flüchtlingsvereinbarung: Bestandsaufnahme und menschenrechtliche Bewertung 'Schengen', 'Dublin' und die Ambivalenzen der EU-Migrationspolitik. Eine kurze Geschichte Europäische Migrationspolitik Europawahl 2019: Wie stehen die großen Parteien zu den Themen Migration, Flucht und Asyl? Europäische Asyl- und Flüchtlingspolitik seit 2015 Asyl- und Migrationspolitik in der Europäischen Union (2015) Asyl- und Migrationspolitik in der Europäischen Union (2009) Bewegt sie sich doch? Zum Stand der Reform der EU-Asylpolitik Schlechte Zeiten für eine stärker flüchtlingsrechtlich orientierte Politik Wie weiter in der EU-Asyl- und Migrationspolitik? Was sollte die EU-Flüchtlings- und Asylpolitik (zukünftig) auszeichnen? Wie in Europa humane Grenzen mehrheitsfähig werden können Mobilität in der EU in Grafiken Migration und politische Partizipation Die parlamentarische Repräsentation von Menschen mit Migrationsgeschichte im Bundestag Migrationspolitisches Engagement von Gewerkschaften und gewerkschaftliches Engagement von Migranten Einbürgerung – Vehikel oder Belohnung für Integration? Die anhaltenden Debatten über das Ausländerwahlrecht in Deutschland The persistence of debates on voting rights for foreign residents in Germany Migration und Demokratie Migrantische Selbstorganisierung als demokratische Praxis Politische Präferenzen von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund Politische Partizipation von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund Nur "Zaungäste in der Kommunalpolitik"? "Paradise Left Behind" – Begleitmaterial zum Film "Es geht um differenzierte Bilder." – Ein Gespräch über Paradise Left Behind Die ägäischen Inseln: von Räumen des Transits zu Räumen der Immobilisierung 'Schengen', 'Dublin' und die Ambivalenzen der EU-Migrationspolitik. Eine kurze Geschichte Paradise Left Behind Migration und Wirtschaft Die wirtschaftlichen Auswirkungen von Zuwanderung Wie sich Migration auf die Herkunftsländer auswirkt Migrantische Ökonomien in Deutschland Fachkräfteengpässe und Arbeitsmigration nach Deutschland Migration und Handwerk – kurze Geschichte einer langen Verbindung Migration und Handwerk: Fachkräftemangel und integratives Potenzial Zugehörigkeit und Zusammenhalt in der Migrationsgesellschaft Sprache – Macht – Migration Was ist Heimat? Warum es so viel leichter ist über Nudelsalat zu reden als über Rassismus Die blinden Flecken antirassistischer Diskurse Was hält eine Gesellschaft zusammen? Was hält eine Gesellschaft zusammen? Konfliktbearbeitung ist der Klebstoff der Demokratie Sozialer Zusammenhalt und das Gefühl, fremd im eigenen Land zu sein Die Gruppe der Ostdeutschen als Teil postmigrantischer Integrationsfragen Kommunale Migrations- und Flüchtlingspolitik Der "local turn" in der Migrations- und Asylpolitik Kommunen und ihre Rolle bei der Flüchtlingsaufnahme Kommunale Aufnahme von Flüchtlingen Interview: Migrations- und integrationspolitische Debatten im Deutschen Städtetag Kommunale Integrationspolitik in Deutschland: Teilhabe vor Ort ermöglichen Zufluchtsstädte im amerikanischen Einwanderungsföderalismus Migration in städtischen & ländlichen Räumen Geflüchtete in ländlichen Räumen Perspektive Geflüchteter auf das Leben auf dem Land Landlust oder Landfrust? Fleischindustrie Migrantische Arbeitskräfte in der malaysischen Palmölindustrie (Il)legal? Migrant_innen in der spanischen Landwirtschaft Das Wachstum der Städte durch Migration Migration und Wohnungsmarkt Migration und Männlichkeit Männlichkeit im Migrationskontext Muslimische Männlichkeit Väterlichkeiten Intersektionale Diskriminierung Sozialisation junger Muslime Migration – Kriminalität – Männlichkeit Migration und Sicherheit Einführung Migration und menschliche Sicherheit Foreign Fighters "Gefährder" Smart Borders Grenzkontrollen: Einblicke in die grenzpolizeiliche Praxis Die Polizei in der Einwanderungsgesellschaft Interview Radikalisierung in der Migrationsgesellschaft Schlepper: Dekonstruktion eines Mythos "Racial Profiling", institutioneller Rassismus und Interventionsmöglichkeiten Migration und Klimawandel Umwelt- und Klimamigration: Begriffe und Definitionen Zur Prognose des Umfangs klimabedingter Migrationen Der Zusammenhang zwischen Klimawandel und Migration Indikator für Verwundbarkeit oder Resilienz? Klimawandel, Migration und Geschlechterverhältnisse Rechtliche Schutzmöglichkeiten für "Klimaflüchtlinge" Interview mit Ulf Neupert Frauen in der Migration Migration qualifizierter Frauen in der EU Selbstorganisation geflüchteter Frauen* "Gastarbeiterinnen" in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Ein Überblick in Zahlen Migration und Geschlechterrollen Frauen auf der Flucht Interview Zahlenwerk: Frauen mit Migrationshintergrund in Deutschland Integrationskurse Geschlechtsbezogene Verfolgung – Rechtlicher Schutz Geflüchtete Frauen in Deutschland Kinder- und Jugendmigration Zahlenwerk Kindertransporte Die "Schwabenkinder" Kinder- und Jugendmigration aus GB Menschenrechte von Kindermigranten Third Culture Kids Kindersoldat_Innen Adoption und Kindermigration Kinderhandel Lebensborn e.V. Grenzzäune und -mauern Mauern und Zäune Integrationspolitik Integrationsmonitoring Integrationstheorien Interview mit Andreas Zick Integration in superdiverse Nachbarschaften Migration und Entwicklung Entwicklung und Migration, Umsiedlung und Klimawandel Migration und Entwicklung – eine neue Perspektive? Stand der Forschung Rücküberweisungen Diaspora als Impulsgeberin für Entwicklung Landgrabbing Interview mit Roman Herre Strukturumbrüche und Transformation Diaspora Was ist eine Diaspora? Exil, Diaspora, Transmigration Diaspora: Leben im Spannungsfeld Türkeistämmige in Deutschland Postsowjetische Migranten Polnische Diaspora Vietnamesische Diaspora Kurdische Diaspora Diaspora als Akteur der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit Russlanddeutsche und andere postsozialistische Migranten Wer sind die Russlanddeutschen? Aussiedler Politische Partizipation von Russlanddeutschen Russlanddeutsches Verbandswesen Religiosität unter Russlanddeutschen Interview mit Peter Dück Russlanddeutsche in Russland Russlanddeutsche transnational Jüdische Kontingentflüchtlinge und Russlanddeutsche Transnationalismus als Beheimatungsstrategie Aushandlungen der Zugehörigkeit russlanddeutscher Jugendlicher Mediennutzung der russischen Diaspora in Deutschland 'Russische' Supermärkte und Restaurants in Deutschland Perspektiven auf die Integration von Geflüchteten in Deutschland Arbeitsmarktperspektiven von Geflüchteten Interview mit Gesa Hune Meinung: Geflüchtete fördern - oder es kann teuer werden Effekte der Fluchtmigration - Interview mit Prof. Dr. Herbert Brücker "Die müssen die Sprache lernen" Fremd- bzw. Zweitspracherwerb von Geflüchteten Die Arbeitsmarktintegration Geflüchteter in der Vergangenheit "Wohnst Du schon – oder wirst Du noch untergebracht?" Inklusion in das Schulsystem Ein Jahr Integrationsgesetz Interview mit Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal Über die Zusammenhänge von Religion und Integration Interview: Digitale Bildungsangebote als Chance für Integration Innerafrikanische Migrationen Konsequenzen der Auslagerung der EU-Grenzen Kindermigration in Burkina Faso Flucht und Vertreibung Migranten als Akteure der Globalisierung Migrations- und Fluchtpfade Marokko Libyen Abschiebungen nach Afrika Leben nach der Abschiebung Flüchtlingslager Begriff und Geschichte des Lagers Orte der dauerhaften Vorläufigkeit: Flüchtlingslager im globalen Süden "Das Leben im Flüchtlingslager wird zur Normalität" Urbanisierungsprozesse Kleine Geschichte der Flüchtlingslager Lager in der Weimarer Republik Schlotwiese Uelzen-Bohldamm Friedland Zirndorf Marienfelde Das Jahr 2016: Ein Rückblick Globale Flüchtlingskrise hält weiter an Diskussion um kriminelle Geflüchtete Europa Literatur Resettlement Was ist Resettlement? Historische Entwicklung Resettlement durch UNHCR Resettlement im Vergleich zu anderen Aufnahmeprogrammen Aufnahme und Integration EU und Resettlement Deutschland Zukunft des Resettlements Literatur Akteure im (inter-)nationalen (Flucht-)Migrationsregime Akteure in Migrationsregimen und das Aushandeln von Migration Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge Die Europäische Grenzschutzagentur Frontex Die Asylagentur der Europäischen Union: neue Agentur, alte Herausforderungen UNHCR UNRWA – das UN-Hilfswerk für Palästina-Flüchtlinge im Nahen Osten Die Internationale Organisation für Migration (IOM) "Migration ist ein globales Thema, auf das es auch globale Antworten geben sollte." Flucht und Asyl: Grundlagen Abschiebung in der Geschichte Deutschlands Wie ist das Asylrecht entstanden? Das Asylverfahren in Deutschland Schutzanspruch im deutschen Asylverfahren? Sichere Herkunftsländer Das Konzept "sichere Herkunftsstaaten" Definition für Duldung und verbundene Rechte Flüchtlingsaufnahme und ihre Folgen Fluchtziel Deutschland Freiwillige Rückkehr Unbegleitete minderjährige Geflüchtete Abschiebung – Ausweisung – Dublin-Überstellung Begriff und Figur des Flüchtlings in historischer Perspektive Zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement Ehrenamtliches Engagement von Geflüchteten Interview mit J. Olaf Kleist Engagement in der Migrationsgesellschaft Politische Proteste von Geflüchteten Proteste gegen Abschiebungen Zivilgesellschaft und Integration Städte der Solidarität – ein Interview Beim Kirchenasyl geht es um den Schutz des Einzelnen. Ein Gespräch. Zivilgesellschaftliche Initiativen für sichere Fluchtwege Migrantenorganisationen Engagement für Geflüchtete (Flucht-)Migration und Gesundheit Medizinische Versorgung Interview David Zimmermann Definition von Migration Gesundheitszustand von Migranten Barrieren/ Prävention Erklärungsmodelle Schlussfolgerungen Literatur Die Covid-19-Pandemie und die Folgen für Migration und Integration Zu Hause bleiben und "social distancing" – für Geflüchtete oft nicht möglich Das Jahr 2015: Ein Rückblick Fluchtmigration: Hintergründe Verwaltungs- und Infrastrukturkrise EU: Reaktionen auf die Fluchtzuwanderung Flüchtlingszahlen weltweit Internationale Studierende Einleitung Bildungsmigration Internationale Studierende Internationale Studierende in Deutschland Übergang in den Arbeitsmarkt Literatur Migration und Pflege Einführung Altern in der Migrationsgesellschaft Interview mit Helma Lutz Deutsche Asylpolitik und EU-Flüchtlingsschutz Einleitung Flüchtlingsrecht Asylrecht, Flüchtlingspolitik, humanitäre Zuwanderung Flucht und Asyl als europäisiertes Politikfeld Asyl und Asylpolitik Ausblick Literatur Integration in der postmigrantischen Gesellschaft Einleitung Die postmigrantische Gesellschaft Paradigmenwandel Brauchen wir den Integrationsbegriff noch? Integration als Metanarrativ Notwendigkeit eines neuen Leitbildes Literatur Lifestyle Migration Was ist Lifestyle Migration? Briten in Spanien Einen neuen Lebensstil entdecken Folgen des Residenztourismus Zusammenfassung Literatur Wahlrecht und Partizipation von Migranten Einleitung Politische Rechte und Kommunalwahlrecht Wahlrecht für Drittstaatsangehörige Einbürgerung Aktuelle Entwicklungen Schlussbemerkungen Literatur Demografischer Wandel und Migration Einleitung Demografischer Übergang Deutschland und Europa Internationale Wanderung Integration und Reproduktionsverhalten Wanderungspolitik Regionale Muster Literatur Glossar English Version: Policy Briefs "Having a nationality is not a given, it is a privilege" Sanctuary and Anti-Sanctuary Immigration Law in the United States Migrant Smugglers Urbanizing Skilled Female Migrants in the EU Self-Organization of Women* Refugees Impact of Migration Revisited Child and Youth Migration Human Rights Protections Migration from the United Kingdom Adoption and Child Migration Third Culture Kids Trafficking in Children Actors in National and International (Flight)Migration Regimes UNHCR UNRWA International Organization for Migration The International Organization for Migration (IOM) German Asylum Policy and EU Refugee Protection Introduction Refugee Law Asylum Law, Refugee Policy, Humanitarian Migration Flight and Asylum Current Developments Current and Future Challenges References Integration in a Post-Migrant Society Introduction Post-Migrant Society Paradigm Shift Do We Still Need the Concept of Integration? Integration as a Metanarrative Need for a New Concept References Lifestyle Migration What Is Lifestyle Migration? British in Spain Realizing a New Style of Life Outcomes of Lifestyle Migration Conclusion References Voting rights and political participation Introduction Political and Municipal Voting Rights Voting Rights for Nationals of Non-EU States Naturalization Recent Developments Conclusions References Frontex and the EU Border Regime Introduction Frontex — Questions and Answers The Development of a European Border Regime Externalization Technologization Border Economies On the Other Side of the Border Fence Is Migration a Risk? References Demographic Change and Migration in Europe Introduction Demographic Transition Germany and Europe International Migration Reproductive Behavior Migration Policy Regional Patterns Glossary Further Reading Global Migration in the Future Introduction Increase of the World Population Growth of Cities Environmental Changes Conclusion: Political Migration References Germans Abroad Introduction Germans Abroad Expatriates in Hong Kong and Thailand Human Security Concerns of German Expatriates Conclusions References Migrant Organizations What Are Migrant Organizations? Number and Structure Their Role in Social Participation Multidimensionality and the Dynamic Character Interaction with their Environments Between the Countries of Origin and Arrival Conclusion References EU Internal Migration EU Internal Migration East-West Migration after the EU Enlargement Ireland United Kingdom Spain Portugal Greece Italy Germany Assessment of Qualifications Acquired Abroad Introduction Evolution of the Accreditation Debate The Importance of Accreditation Basic Principles Thus Far of the Accreditation of Qualifications Acquired Abroad Actors in the Accreditation Practice Reasons for Establishing a New Legal Framework The Professional Qualifications Assessment Act What Is Being Criticized? The Accreditation System in Transition Conclusion References From Home country to Home country? Context Motives Immigration and Integration in Turkey Identification Emigration or Return? References Integration in Figures Approaches Development Six Approaches Conclusion References Climate Change Introduction Estimates Affected areas Environmental migration Conclusion References Dual citizenship Discourse Classic objections Current debate Rule of law Conclusion References Female Labour Migration The labour market Dominant perceptions Skilled female migration Issues Conclusion References How Healthy are Migrants? Definition The Health Status Prevention/Barriers Migration and Health Conclusions References Networks Spain Migrant networks Effects of networks Romanian networks Conclusion References Integration Policy Introduction Demographic situation Economic conditions Labour market The case in Stuttgart Integration measures Evaluation Outlook References Irregular Migration Introduction The phenomenon Political approaches Controlling Sanctions Proposed directive Conclusions References Integration Courses Introduction The Netherlands France Germany United Kingdom Conclusions References Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals Introduction The Situation Health Worker Migration Costs and Benefits Perspectives and Conclusion References Triggering Skilled Migration Introduction Talking about mobility Legal framework Coming to Germany Mobility of scientists Other factors Conclusions References Remittances Introduction The Term Remittance Figures and Trends Effects Conclusion References EU Expansion and Free Movement Introduction Transitional Arrangements Economic Theory The Scale The Results Continued Restrictions Conclusion References The German "Green Card" Introduction Background Green Card regulation Success? Conclusion References Does Germany Need Labour Migration? Introduction Labour shortages Labourmarket Conclusion Labourmigration References Dutch Integration Model The "Dutch model"? The end? Intention and reality A new view Where next? References Impressum

Voting Rights for Nationals of Non-EU States

Kees Groenendijk

/ 10 Minuten zu lesen

The EU citizenship which was introduced in 1992 in the Treaty of Maastricht grants all nationals residing in another Member State local voting rights in that state. So far, only 15 of 28 EU Member States have granted such rights to non-EU nationals as well.

Referring to the principle "no taxation without representation" foreign workers demonstrate in front of a polling station in Berlin (West) for local voting rights. (© picture alliance / Elke Bruhn-Hoffmann)

Limited Impact of the EU

The European Union has the power to make rules on voting rights for EU nationals and on migration, residence, and asylum of third-country nationals in Member States. However, the EU has no legal authority to make binding rules on the voting rights of third-country nationals residing in the Member States. EU bodies may discuss the way certain political rights are structured in Member States' national laws. Such discussions could result in recommendations, not in binding EU rules. EU institutions could promote legislation introducing or extending such rights to third-country nationals. Thus, the European Union can encourage but not legally oblige Member States to amend their national laws regarding voting rights of third-country nationals.

In 2003, the Council of Ministers adopted a directive on the status of long-term resident nationals from countries outside the EU, 'third-country nationals' in the legal jargon. This directive codifies the denizen status — a status in which long-term resident non-nationals have some but not all the rights granted to citizens — in EC law. The directive grants a secure residence right, equal treatment, and under certain conditions mobility within the European Union to third-country nationals after five years of lawful residence in a Member State. It enumerates a long catalogue of matters where long-term residents shall enjoy equal treatment with nationals, but does not deal with voting rights. This illustrates that the EU Treaties do not provide a legal basis for obliging Member States to grant voting rights or other political rights to resident third-country nationals.

Granting Voting Rights to EU Nationals and Its Impact on Voting Rights for Non-EU Nationals

The granting of municipal voting rights to resident nationals of other Member States as a fundamental right and an expression of the principle of equal treatment may have a wider impact. In several Member States (e.g. Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Slovenia) the prospect of or the actual obligation to grant voting rights to nationals of other Member States paved the way for extension of municipal voting rights to residents of non-EU countries. A similar development occurred in the Nordic countries already during the 1970s and 1980s: voting rights were first granted to nationals of other Nordic countries and later on to all non-nationals with several years of residence in the country.

The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht obliged several Member States, e.g. Austria, Belgium, Germany and France, to amend their constitution to allow for nationals of other Member States to vote in municipal elections. Those countries at that time had to make a political choice: restrict the amendment to EU nationals or use the occasion to open in their constitution the possibility to extend local voting rights to immigrants from third countries as well. Austria, Germany, France and, before accession, Poland choose the first restrictive option. In Germany, the debate continued during most of the 1980s but came to halt in 1990 when the Constitutional Court declared the local voting-rights legislation of certain Länder unconstitutional. The court argued that the constitutional clause granting voting rights to the German people had to be interpreted as covering only persons with German nationality. In Austria the Constitutional Court handed down a similar judgment in 2004.

Belgium chose for the other option: after a long political battle, the required constitutional amendment entered into force only in 1999, but it opened the possibility to grant the voting right to non-EU nationals as well. In Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK the constitutional law did already allow for the participation of non-nationals in municipal elections. Spain, primarily with a view to reinforce the position of Spanish emigrants abroad, introduced in its 1978 constitution the possibility to grant voting rights to non-citizens on the basis of a treaty and on the condition of reciprocity, i.e. only if Spanish citizens resident in the other country are entitled to vote in municipal elections in that country. The municipal voting right was granted to nationals of other Member States on the basis of this pre-existing constitutional provision. A provision that applies to non-EU nationals as well. The Netherlands followed the example of the Nordic states by introducing a provision during the constitutional revision of 1983 in view of the discussions on extension of voting rights to nationals of other EEC countries but the revision covered all non-national residents.

In the EU Directive 94/80 adopted in 1994 an exception was made for Luxembourg because almost one third of the population of voting age were nationals of other EU states. Luxembourg first introduced long residence requirements (six years for the right to vote and twelve years for the right to be elected) as a barrier for participation. But after the first municipal elections where nationals of other Member States could vote in 1999, it reduced the residence requirement to five years both for the right to vote and to stand for election. Fears for “polarization between lists of national and non-national candidates”, used as justification for the exception in 1994, apparently, were overcome. Moreover, Luxembourg in 2003 granted voting rights to nationals of non-EU countries with five years of residence in Luxembourg.

Which EU Member States Grant Voting Rights to Third-Country Nationals?

A majority of 15 of the 28 EU Member States allow some categories of resident third-country nationals to participate in local elections. These states are Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Four of these states do not allow third-country nationals to stand as candidates in municipal elections: Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania and Slovenia. Six EU Member States extend voting rights to certain categories of non-nationals (EU nationals and third-country nationals) to elections for regional representative bodies as well: Denmark, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The 13 EU Member States that exclude third-country nationals from voting in local elections are Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland and Romania.

 
Table 1: Municipal Voting Rights for Third Country Nationals (TCNs) in the EU Member States
 
EU Member StateMunicipal Voting Rights for (some) TCNsRight of TCNs to stand as candidates in municipal elections
AustriaNONO
BelgiumYESYES
BulgariaNONO
CroatiaNONO
CyprusNONO
Czech RepublicNONO
DenmarkYESYES
EstoniaNOYES
FinlandYESYES
FranceNONO
GermanyNONO
GreeceNONO
HungaryNOYES
IrelandYESYES
ItalyNONO
LativaNONO
LithuaniaNOYES
LuxembourgYESYES
MaltaNONO
NetherlandsYESYES
PolandNONO
PortugalYESYES
RomaniaNONO
SlovakiaYESYES
SloveniaNOYES
SpainYESYES
SwedenYESYES
United KingdomYESYES
Source: Author’s own compilation.

Conditions for Voting

Member States that have granted voting rights to third-country nationals use four kinds of conditions to restrict that right: duration of residence, registration or application, a specific residence status or reciprocity. Some states apply several of these conditions. For example, Belgium requires five years of residence and registration. Portugal requires residency, reciprocity and registration.

The duration of residence required before a third-country national is entitled to vote varies between three years in Denmark, Estonia, Portugal, and Sweden, four years in Finland and five years in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. In Ireland and the United Kingdom the general residence requirement applies for nationals and non-nationals.

Five states, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Slovenia grant voting rights only to third-country nationals who have a permanent residence permit or long-term residence status. This condition may severely limit the number of third-country nationals who can vote, because the required status is granted infrequently or only to specific categories of immigrants (e.g. co-ethnics) and, generally, only after five or more years of lawful residence.

Several Member States require non-national voters to register with the local authorities. In Ireland, the Netherlands, the Nordic states and the United Kingdom, a simple registration, comparable to the registration nationals are required to perform when moving to a new address, is sufficient. The registration process itself can become a major obstacle for non-nationals who want to exercise their voting rights. Belgium requires non-citizens to file an application for registration and to sign a declaration pledging respect to the Belgian Constitution and legislation.

The Czech Republic, Malta, Portugal, and Spain apply the reciprocity condition. In practice, this condition results in far-reaching restriction or de-facto non-existence of voting rights. The Czech Republic and Malta have a reciprocity condition in their constitution. Since no agreements with third countries have been concluded third-country nationals do not have voting rights in those two Member States. Portugal has concluded bilateral agreements on reciprocal voting rights with more than ten countries outside the European Union. Spain has concluded bilateral agreements with several countries in South America and with Norway. In Spain, a special ambassador was appointed with the task to negotiate similar agreements with other countries outside the EU. This approach not only requires quite some diplomatic activity, but the right to vote of residents will depend on the willingness of governments in the country of origin to conclude an agreement. Undemocratic countries may not be inclined to conclude such agreements. The result is that only resident immigrants from certain third-countries will have the right to vote and others (often the majority) will be excluded and probably perceive that exclusion as unjustified.

Arguments For and Against Extending Voting Rights to Non-National Residents

Granting voting rights to non-national residents is a highly visible commitment to the public inclusion and equal treatment of immigrants. Within states, however, opinions vary on how much immigrant inclusion is desirable and which values are essential to the state’s identity. The main arguments used in favor of extending voting rights to resident non-nationals are:

  • "No taxation without representation." All members of the community who regularly pay taxes need to be represented in government bodies that decide how public funds are spent and on rules binding all residents.

  • Equal treatment of residents of the country. The longer non-nationals are living in a community, the more difficult it is to justify their exclusion from the public decision-making process.

  • Granting voting rights stimulates the political participation of immigrants and thus their integration in the host society.

  • Immigrants are permanent members of society. Providing voting rights sends an important symbolic message to the majority of the population that long-term resident immigrants are staying and that they are perceived as (future) co-citizens.

  • Pathway to citizenship. The right to vote in local elections encourages non-nationals to naturalize so that they can also vote in national elections and access public-service jobs.

The main arguments opponents give for not allowing non-nationals to vote are:

  • Voting rights should be an earned privilege. Voting rights are per definition linked to nationality; only full citizens should participate in political decision making.

  • Prevent foreign influence. Governments of the countries of origin may try to influence the political process through their nationals.

  • Prevent ethnic parties. If certain immigrant groups establish their own political parties this may weaken existing parties.

  • Immigrants should not be allowed to disturb existing power relations. Allowing non-nationals to vote could upset the current balance of power since some parties will benefit more from the immigrant vote than others.

  • The domino effect. Once local voting rights are granted, the argument for withholding voting rights in national elections becomes weaker. Some argue that national voting rights could create conflicting loyalties.

  • Granting voting rights diminishes immigrants’ interest in naturalizing. Naturalization should be encouraged rather than granting voting rights.

Some of these counter arguments have a long history. In the past, they were used to keep workers, women, and young citizens from voting.

How someone defines a community or a state will often influence how that person views voting rights for non-nationals. Proponents tend to have a liberal view and an open image of the state and the nation. Opponents tend to have a communitarian perspective on the state: only the present members ("citizens") should decide who belongs to the community. This perspective corresponds to a more closed, defensive or even ethnically homogenous image of the nation-state.

In the introduction we observed that ideas about the desirability of political participation of non-citizens in Europe changed over time. Ideological arguments for and against local voting rights can only be tested in debate. Empirical arguments about the effects of extending voting grants will be discussed in the last part of this paper.

When Were Municipal Voting Rights Granted?

In the UK the voting rights are related to the establishment of the Commonwealth that predates the Second World War. In Ireland the municipal voting right was granted to non-national residents in 1963. Among the five states of the Nordic Union (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) a regional consensus on this issue developed during the 1970s and 1980s. After some years, granting voting rights only to Nordic citizens led to voting rights for all non-nationals. The Nordic experience also shows that harmonizing voting rights does not require states to adopt binding international laws. Informal consensus can work. This development predates the granting of voting rights to EU nationals living in other Member States that occurred in the 1990s. The relevant provision in the Spanish constitution was introduced in 1978. The Netherlands granted voting rights to non-national residents in 1985 after room for this extension had been created in the 1983 general revision of the constitution, prior to the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty. Lithuania, Slovenia and Slovakia granted voting rights to non-EU residents in 2002 and therefore did so before their accession to the EU, Luxemburg in 2003 and Belgium in 2004.

This text is part of the policy brief “Interner Link: Voting rights and political participation of non-national immigrants”.

Fussnoten

Fußnoten

  1. Council Directive of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents, EC Official Journal 2004 L 16, pp. 44-53.

  2. Art. 8 of the Belgian Constitution, Art. 28(1) of the German Constitution, Art. 3 of the French Constitution and Conseil Constitutionel 9 April 1992, Decision No. 92-308 par. 21-37.

  3. Judgment of 13 October 1990, BVerfGE 83, 37.

  4. Verfassungsgerichtshof 30 June 2004, C 218/03.

  5. Act of 18 December 1998 adopted after the judgment of the CJEU of 9 July 1998 in case C-323/97, Commission/Belgium [1998] ECR I-4281; see Jacobs (1999).

  6. Migration News Sheet (September 2008), p. 27.

Lizenz

Dieser Text ist unter der Creative Commons Lizenz "CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 DE - Namensnennung - Nicht-kommerziell - Keine Bearbeitung 3.0 Deutschland" veröffentlicht. Autor/-in: Kees Groenendijk für bpb.de

Sie dürfen den Text unter Nennung der Lizenz CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 DE und des/der Autors/-in teilen.
Urheberrechtliche Angaben zu Bildern / Grafiken / Videos finden sich direkt bei den Abbildungen.
Sie wollen einen Inhalt von bpb.de nutzen?

Kees Groenendijk is emeritus Professor of Sociology of Law at the University of Nijmegen (The Netherlands), founder and research fellow of its Centre for Migration Law, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Experts on international immigration, refugee and criminal law (Meijers Committee). He is member of the Odysseus Network of Experts on European Migration and Asylum Law.