Activities of Leila CHAIBI related to 2021/0372(CNS)
Plenary speeches (1)
Electoral rights of mobile Union citizens in European Parliament elections - Electoral rights of mobile Union citizens in municipal elections (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast)
Amendments (24)
Amendment 50 #
Draft legislative resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
— having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), and in particular Article 29 thereof,
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1 a) Every Union citizen has the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union. It is imperative that all Union citizens, including mobile Union citizens, citizens with disabilities and citizens in a situation of homelessness, can fully exercise their political rights in the context of the elections to the European Parliament, both as candidates and as voters. There is a danger that the loss of acquired political rights for Union citizens as a result of European mobility will impede participation in elections to the European Parliament by mobile voters. The creation of a fully-fledged European democracy entails the progressive convergence of political rights among Union citizens when voting for, and standing as, candidates for elections to the European Parliament on the national electoral lists of either their home or host Member State, or the Union-wide list, in the event of its establishment.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 b (new)
Recital 1 b (new)
(1 b) In that legislative resolution of 3 May 2022, additional rules were proposed with the aim of increasing voter turnout in the elections to the European Parliament by making voting as accessible and easy as possible, and thereby bringing European democracy into the 21st century, as well as the foundations of its electoral systems. This would be achieved by harmonising the minimum voting age at 16, introducing a pan-European electoral roll organised through zipped- lists, improving accessibility requirements for people with disabilities and introducing postal voting for all Union citizens and additional means of voting such as proxy, electronic or advanced voting.
Amendment 53 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 c (new)
Recital 1 c (new)
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 d (new)
Recital 1 d (new)
(1 d) Furthermore, that legislative resolution of 3 May 2022 addresses the current diverging national electoral cultures, which have resulted in a range of different electoral systems, including differences in the right to stand in the elections to the European Parliament. The resolution calls for the harmonisation of the minimum age for standing in elections and for the introduction of zipped lists to ensure gender equality and equal opportunities for women and men to be elected; it also calls for common minimum democratic standards as regards the right to register a political party, an association of voters or another European electoral entity and to stand for elections, access to ballots and the fielding of candidates so as to ensure greater use of common democratic scrutiny procedures, as well as the avoidance of factors inhibiting political innovation across the Union, including in respect of mobile EU citizens.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In line with International and European standards, including, the requirements of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognize and respect the right of Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate, but also ensure easy access to their electoral rights by removing as many obstacles to participation in elections as possible. While voting at the polling station shall remain the norm, Member States should allow postal and proxy voting as well as introducing mobile polling stations for voters who are unable to go to the polling stations on election day.
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) In order to facilitate the exercise by Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their country of residence, automatic registration as a voter should be made possible once those voters have expressed their wish to vote and stand as a candidate in their Member State of residence. Citizens should receive prior information regarding such automatic registration, notably concerning the fact that it implies deregistration from the electoral roll of their place of origin. Where automatic registration has not occurred, such citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple as possible. It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and a formal declaration that includes elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the elections. Once registered, non- national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(2) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of elections to the European Parliament. In order to ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in clear and comprehensible terms. Member States should ensure that such information is made widely available, including to non- national Union citizens, through a wide range of channels, including through targeted cooperation projects between civil society organisations, the designated national authorities and also through embassies, consulates and other representations of the Member States of origin and the European electoral authority. In order to ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in clear and comprehensible terms and in a timely manner, and as early as possible, taking into account that electoral rolls to be closed 40 days and for candidates to be announced 12 weeks before the polling day
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such information should be made available in at least one other official language of the Union than that or those of the host Member State, broadly understood by the largest possible number of Union citizens residing on its territory. Member States may use different official languages of the Union in specific parts of their territory or their regions depending on the language understood by the largest group of Union citizens residing therein.ll official languages of the Union
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 23
Recital 23
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 24
Recital 24
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive within a reasonable timeframe after at least twono later than two years after each elections to the European Parliament, accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive.
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 29 a (new)
Recital 29 a (new)
(29 a) Member States should ensure that their laws facilitate voting by people experiencing homelessness, including when they are in a Member State of which they are not national. Providing proof of address in order to vote, as laid down in Directive 93/109/EC, can exclude people experiencing homelessness in those countries where they cannot obtain an administrative address. The requirement to provide proof of address should be removed from national legislation, in order to make it easier for people experiencing homelessness, who are full EU citizens, to vote.
Amendment 99 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 29 b (new)
Recital 29 b (new)
(29 b) Member States shall guarantee that prisoners who are granted the right to vote in accordance with national laws, including when they are in a Member State of which they are not nationals, are able to exercise those voting rights.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Union voters shall have the right to choose to exercise their right to vote either in the Member State of residence or in their home Member State. No person may vote more than once at the same election.
Amendment 104 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a Union voter who has expressed the wish to be registered as a voter to be entered on the electoral roll sufficiently in advance ofno later than 40 days before polling day.
Amendment 105 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Registration on the electoral roll should be allowed 40 days before pooling day, in order to allow as many Union voters as possible to register.
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall designate a national authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament. Member States shall clearly indicate in the information provided that citizens have the right to choose to register in their place of residence or to remain registered in their home country.
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Member States shall ensure that all citizens have access to all the necessary information to vote in their Member state of residence. Civil society organisations may cooperate with, and assist, the designated national authorities to raise public awareness concerning the information referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, as well as in encouraging non- national Union citizens to actively seek such information as often as they need it. Member States should ensure civil society organisations have sufficient means to do so.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 4
Article 12 – paragraph 4
4. Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and information referred to in paragraph 2 is made accessible to all citizens including persons with disabilities, homeless people, persons in prison who enjoy their voting right, and older persons by using appropriate means, modes and formats of communication.
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Member States that provide for the possibilities of advance votshould introduce mobile polling stations for voters who are unable to go to the polling stations on election day. Member States shall maintain vote at polling stations as the norm while allowing, postal voting, and electronic and internetshall consider the introduction of complementary enhancing tools such as advance physical voting, proxy voting, and electronic voting, in elections to the European Parliament. Member States shall ensure the availability of those voting methods to Union voters under similarthe same conditions as the ones applicable to their own nationals.
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 16
Article 16
Amendment 138 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 1
Article 18 – paragraph 1
Within two years after the 2029 elections to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess its application and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein. The evaluation shall also include a review on the functioning of Article 13.