Added: Vote for life for overseas voters

Proposer
Julia1414
State

Accepted

Vote Score

2

Age

2490 days


@Julia1414 edited elections.md - almost 7 years ago

Given each EU member country has the right to select the electoral system they use to elect their own MEPs, the Open Party List system (using the "most-open" method) will also be used for elections to the European Parliament.

Overseas Voters

Change the 15 year restriction for overseas citizens to a vote for life. Allowing british citizens who care about what happens in the UK, and whose rights abroad are dependent on their citizenship, to have a say in UK democracy.

Democracy Research

Investigate the feasibility of direct digital democracy - using online tools to gradually replace representative democracy with increased direct participation in the legislative process by all electors.

Floppy

@Floppy - almost 7 years ago

As long as they're citizens, they should get a vote. Absolutely.

Vote: ✅

philipjohn

@philipjohn - almost 7 years ago

Yep, if you are a citizen and have rights under British law, you should have a say in governance.

Vote: ✅

Xyleneb

@Xyleneb - almost 7 years ago

I don't think you should get to tell the rest of us how we should live if you were last here in 2002. I would expect to give up this right myself if I moved.

This part intrigues me though: "whose rights abroad are dependent on their citizenship". What is meant by this?

Julia1414

@Julia1414 - almost 7 years ago

Hi @floppy and @philipjohn - thanks for supporting this.

@xyleneb to add more context, and to address your remark: Being able to participate in democracy is a fundamental human right, and should not be taken away because of your personal choices, such as living in a difference country. I have a friend in his 20's, moved overseas five years ago, never registered in the UK which means he can't vote as an overseas citizen. It's not always the 15 year rule that is the block here. Either way, my argument about it being a fundamental right stands.

I do however believe that it's pretty pointless how the current system works - which is why I also added the introduction of MP's who specifically represent overseas citizens as to me they go hand in hand. Overseas voters have a specific set of issues, and they are not the same as a resident voter.

As for your question - my rights to live, work, travel in the Netherlands, within the EU and beyond is based on being an EU citizen, which comes from being a British citizen. There is a codependency. With Brexit looming, it's an issues high over a lot of overseas voters minds.