voting rights of migrants in europe kees groenendijk center for migration law radboud university...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Voting rights of migrantsin Europe
Kees GroenendijkCenter for Migration Law
Radboud University NijmegenEESC hearing
Brussels 4 September 2013
![Page 2: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Three questions
• Which European states grant voting rights to resident non-citizens?
• Main arguments for and against?
• Effects?
![Page 3: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Voting rights for migrants
• Voting rights (active and passive) are essential political rights, but there are many other political rights
• Migrants: Union citizens in other Member States Third country nationals
![Page 4: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Other political rights
• Freedom of expression
• Freedom of association: party, trade union
• Right to form a political party
• Right to be member of political party
• Right to demonstrate
• Right to strike
• Right to be member of workers council
• Right to work in public service
![Page 5: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Gradual extension after 1960
• Until 1960s: expression of political views = violation public order => expulsion
• Article 16 ECHR (1950)!
• Gradually more political rights granted to resident non-citizens
• Union citizens in other Member States more voting rights than third-country nationals
![Page 6: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Union citizens in other MS
• Right to vote in municipal elections Article 22(1) TFEU; Article 40 EU Charter
• Maastricht Treaty 1992; several MS had to amend their Constitution
• Directive 94/80: implementation > 10 yrs
• Right to vote in election Eur Parliament Article 22(2) TFEU; Article 39 EU Charter
• Directive 93/109: implementation in 1994
![Page 7: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Remaining problems
• Migrant Union citizens have no right to vote in national elections in other MS
• No EU competence in Treaties; pending European citizens intitiative “Let me vote” deadline January 2014; chance success?
• Practical problems with exercising voting rights (requirement to register)
• Exclusion from other political rights
![Page 8: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Third-country nationals
• No voting rights for TCN in Union law; no EU competence in Treaties
• Some political rights granted in Directive 2003/109 and in Association EEC-Turkey
• In international law voting rights only for citizens (ECHR and ICCPR); exception CoE convention 1992; only 8 ratifications
• Depends on national law Member States
![Page 9: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Present situation in Europe
• Local voting rights for TCN in 17 of 29 states: BE, DK, ES, FI, HU, IR, LT, LU, NL, PR, SK, SL, SP, SW, UK + NO, CH
(in 5 states active voting rights only)
• 12 of 29 states non-national residents no voting rights: AU, BU, CY, CZ, FR, GE, GR, IT, LV, MT, PL and RO
• (in CZ, IT, MA possibility present in law)
![Page 10: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Five arguments pro
• No taxation without representation• Unequal treatment only on basis nationality hard
to justify after long lawful residence• Symbolic message long-term residents will stay
and are entitled to equal treatment• Stimulates political participation and integration• Pathway to citizenship stimulates naturalisation
![Page 11: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Five arguments contra
• Voting is privilege linked to nationality
• Fear for influence of foreign governments
• Fear for ethnic political parties
• Immigrants should not disturb power relations between political parties
• Granting voting rights will reduce immigrants’ interest in naturalisation
![Page 12: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Empirical data on effects
• No country has abolished voting rights for non-nationals (DPP in DK no success)
• In several states large scale naturalisation after granting voting rights (NL, SW, BE)
• Ethnic parties unattractive for immigrants
• Foreign influence: exceptional incidents
• Voting pattern immigrants over time more similar with rest of population
![Page 13: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Political choice
• Mainly emotional and ideological costs
• Few financial costs involved
• Open or closed idea of population and democracy: BVerfG 1990 German people versus ECJ 200? ‘Peoples of Europe’
• Integration and naturalisation tests will restrict participation in political life to better educated immigrants - on purpose or not
![Page 14: Voting rights of migrants in Europe Kees Groenendijk Center for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen EESC hearing Brussels 4 September 2013](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082917/5515261155034673228b52d8/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Recommendations
• Encourage informal or open consultation by Member States on this issue and on access to nationality
• Avoid contraproductive requirements: registration, reciprocity, language tests
• EC should monitor access of EU migrants to other politicial rights
• Encourage ratification of 1992 Council of Europe convention