Workers and pensioners

Updated : 12/2011

Elections

If you live in another EU country, you have the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal and European elections held in that country. The conditions are the same for you as for nationals.

Getting on the electoral roll

If you want to vote in these elections, you need to express your intention to do so and ask to be put on the electoral roll in that country. You will be asked to supply information such as your nationality and address.

For European elections, you will also have to declare that you will only vote once at the same elections.

If nationals of the country are required to have been living in the country for a certain period to be allowed to vote in municipal and European elections, it will be the same for you. However, the periods that you have spent in other EU countries -other than your home country- should be taken into account. Special rules can apply in EU countries where more than 20 % of the total electorate are not nationals of that country (today the only such country is Luxembourg).

Compulsory voting

If voting in municipal and European elections is compulsory in your new country and you are on the electoral roll of that country, you are obliged to vote.

Standing as a candidate

To stand as a candidate in municipal elections you may be required to make a declaration that you are not disqualified from standing as a candidate. You may be asked to support this declaration with an attestation issued in your home country.

When standing in European elections, your application must be supported by an attestation from your home country certifying you are not disqualified from standing. You will also be required to make a declaration that you are not standing in any other EU country.

In a European election, you can only vote and stand as a candidate in one country.

If you opt to vote or to stand as a candidate in the country where you live, you cannot do the same in your home country.

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Footnote

In this case, the 27 EU member states + Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway

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