Volt in Berlin calls for expanding EU citizens’ rights — The Local Germany
Pan-European progressive party Volt has launched a poster campaign ahead of elections to Berlin’s House of Representatives and district councils in Germany, calling for EU citizens to be granted full voting rights. The campaign targets city residents without German citizenship.
As reported by The Local Germany, one of the posters contains a provocative question in English. Another campaign text addresses people who work in Berlin, pay taxes, raise children and are part of the community, but cannot influence the city’s future through voting.
Who has the right to vote
German citizens aged 16 and older can take part in elections to Berlin’s House of Representatives. Citizens of other EU countries are entitled to vote only in elections to district representative bodies — Bezirksverordnetenversammlungen.
Volt said that, as a result, EU citizens cannot participate in one of the key elections for Berlin residents. The party is calling for them to be granted full voting rights.
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Volt candidate’s position
Volt candidate in Neukölln Matt Bristow, who proposed the idea for the posters, said the slogan is intended to draw attention to a major democratic deficit in Berlin. According to him, nearly a quarter of a million EU citizens do not have the right to vote in House of Representatives elections.
Bristow also said that people want to see their votes influence decisions on spending in districts and issues of everyday life. He argues that residents are not sufficiently informed about opportunities to participate in political processes in their districts.
According to the candidate, Volt’s previous campaign under the slogan “unfck Berlin” sparked different reactions but drew attention to the city’s problems. He noted that in conversations with voters, he heard mostly more positive than negative feedback.
