BRITISH EXPATS GET TO VOTE
Spain and UK sign election agreement regardless of Brexit outcome
A TREATY between London and Madrid, allowing British expats to vote in municipal elections in Spain in May, was signed on Monday.
The treaty was signed by Robin Walker MP and (Minister) Marco Aguiriano, meaning that British citizens living in Spain and Spanish citizens in the UK can continue to participate in local elections in the future.
The treaty contains transitional provisions, ensuring that UK nationals who are registered to vote in the upcoming local elections in Spain this May, will continue to be able to do so in any Brexit scenario - including 'no-deal'.
In the future, UK nationals will need to have resided in Spain for three years to exercise their rights under this treaty. The criteria of Spanish nationals to vote in local elections in the UK will remain the same.
Guidance on how to ensure you are registered can be found inside this newspaper.
The British government has welcomed this significant treaty that it claims reaffirms the importance of the relationship between the UK and Spain, underlines its shared commitment to democracy, and most importantly enables these citizens to continue to determine who represents them in the country they reside in. London is working on similar agreements for British expats living in other EU countries. Meanwhile, it is the UK government's intent that all eligible EU citizens living in the UK will be able to vote in local elections in England and Northern Ireland this May. Those who are nominated and elected at or before these local elections will also be permitted to serve their full term in office.
Brexit Minister Robin Walker said, “I’m very pleased to have signed such an important treaty with one of our closest neighbours which maintains people’s ability to exercise their democratic rights, by standing and voting in local elections. "This adds a further guarantee to the rights of UK nationals in Spain, and Spanish citizens in the UK, in any scenario" - including no-deal Brexit. Benitachell mayor Miguel Angel Garcia has been among the first local authorities on the Costa Blanca to welcome the agreement.
"It's great news" said Sr Garcia, who added, "It's guaranteeing a fundamental right, that of political participation."
"With or without Brexit, we are very clear that there are no second-class citizens in Benitachell" "Britons are a very active part of our community and have culturally enriched our municipality."