Making headway
EU committee to ask that voting rights be included in Brexit deal
EU committee to ask that voting rights be included in Brexit deal
BRITISH councillor in Alicante province Jacqui Cotterill took part in a meeting of the European Union’s Petitions Committee in Brussels on Tuesday in a renewed attempt to secure a vote in UK elections for disenfranchised expats.
Mrs Cotterill, who represents the Coalició Democràtica de Parcent (CDP) party in Parcent, explained that her petition calls for an end to the 15year rule and ‘the restoration of the franchise for all UK citizens, no matter where they live or how much time has been spent away’.
Following the debate, Petitions Committee chair Cecilia Wikstrom proposed passing the petitions to the Brexit steering group in the European Parliament and writing a letter to the UK government.
They would also inform Europe’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the EU Presidency of the issue and ask that voting rights be included in the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
Mrs Wikstrom also proposed forming an oral question to the Plenary Session of the European Parliament.
Mrs Cotterill stated after the meeting: “I am very pleased with the resolute support from MEPs from all parties who recognise both the injustice of our lack of vote in referendum and general elections and the need for the EU to act in support of democratic rights for all EU citizens who have no vote in their countries of long-term residence.
“I would like to thank them for their continued commitment to safeguarding our rights when we lose our EU citizenship after Brexit.
“The strong recommendations from the Committee show the degree of importance now being given to our rights and I hope they translate into action.”
She noted that during the meeting, Labour party MEP Jude Kirton-Darling had given ‘a powerful and emotional address in support of our right to vote and the injustice of not being to vote in the Referendum which is so greatly affecting citizens in Europe’.
Mrs Kirton-Darling called for strong action from the European institutions over the issue.
Conservative party MEP, Dr Charles Tannock spoke in favour of the petition, explaining his personal implication with family members unable to vote in the Brexit referendum.
Spanish MEPs Florent Marcellesi, Angela Vallina and Josep Maria Terricabras also supported the petition and ‘the importance of our democratic rights’.
Mrs Cotterill added: “All expressed dismay at the fact the petitioner was speaking to the Parliament committee on the same issue for the third time and called for more urgent action to restore EU citizens' democratic rights.”
She said MEPs also responded to ‘our loss of the right to stand and vote in local elections after Brexit’, noting that this will result in a ‘complete lack of representation and democratic participation in our communities’.
Mrs Cotterill highlighted that on Tuesday she was representing her petition and the petition lodged by Parcent town hall, where she is deputy mayor.