Alexis Delafontaine, edited by Gauthier Delomez 06:08, August 11, 2022

Renaissance MP Sacha Houlié has tabled a bill to allow foreigners to vote in local elections.

A question that divides the majority, while the deputy will ask his parliamentary group to support his proposal.

What about other countries?

Europe 1 takes stock.

DECRYPTION

A bill inspired by Renaissance deputy Sacha Houli divides the majority: should foreigners be granted the right to vote?

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin immediately refuted it.

If, since 1998, all member countries of the European Union have granted the right to vote in local elections to nationals of other member countries, this bill would open up this right to all nationalities.

Europe 1 takes stock of what is being done in other states.

>> Find Europe Matin in replay and podcast here

Eleven EU countries ban foreigners' voting

First, in the EU, Ireland is the only country that has granted the right to vote to all foreigners without conditions since 1963. Conversely, eleven European countries completely prohibit it, such as Germany, Italy, Greece or Poland.

And in Germany, this prohibition is moreover enshrined in the federal constitution.

Then, some countries allow voting, but under conditions.

This is the case of the Scandinavian countries which require between two to five years of minimum residence.

More original, England, Spain or Portugal grant the right to vote to nationals of their former colonies.

Finally, in the United States, it is impossible to vote without American nationality, except in a dozen small towns.