European Elections – how can I vote?

On 25 May, Europe will elect a new European Parliament, the main body towards which the European Union is accountable. With the time, the European Parliament has acquired more and more competences, which is why these elections are important. Together with its European partners from the Party of European Socialists, the SPD is heading towards these elections with its main candidate Martin Schulz. The current president of the European Parliament is running to replace José Manuel Barroso as the head of the European Commission – in order to mark a progressive and social-democratic change in the EU’s policies.

Every EU citizen can vote for this election in his country of residence!

How is this possible if you are an EU citizen living in Belgium? The reply is to be found on the website of the ministry of the interior.

You have to fill out and print a document asking for the right to vote in your place of residence, and submit it to your town hall. This has to be done before 28 February 2014.

In order to vote, you have to:

1. Be a citizen of Belgium or of one of the other 27 EU member states: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
   Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
   Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,

   Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or the United Kingdom

2. You have to be registered at the population register of your city before 1 March 2014
3. You have to be at least 18 years old at election day
4. You have to be entitled to vote, i.e. not have any criminal conviction against you that could strip you this right. Also, you must be entitled to vote in your home country
5. You need to be registered on the electoral list of your city, by having filled and handed in the form (above) before 28 February 2014. This list is for the European elections only. If you have previously subscribed to the 2012 municipal elections, you are not automatically part of this list. You still have to hand in your subscription.

Note that once you are subscribed to the election list, you will have the same obligations as Belgian citizens, that means that voting is mandatory. You can be fined for not voting.

Please do take this opportunity to vote! The future of Europe is in your hands.