Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

VOTING

Norwegian islands lose quarter of voters as foreigners frozen out of local elections

The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard is to lose over a quarter of the its voting base for local elections under new rules preventing foreign nationals from participating.

Published: 20 June 2022 14:29 CEST
Norwegian islands lose quarter of voters as foreigners frozen out of local elections
An aerial view of telecommunication domes near Longyearbyen, Svalbard. Photo: Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP)

The government is set to change voting rules for local elections on Svalbard. Under new rules, non-Norwegian citizens will be required to have lived a Norwegian municipality for three years in order to be eligible to vote in local elections and run for office on the remote Arctic archipelago.

Over 700 of the 2,500 people who live on Svalbard could be affected by the decision, broadcaster NRK reports.

The issue is additionally complicated because people have not lived in a municipality on the Norwegian mainland for three years will not be eligible to vote in the next election under the new rules. Neither will they be able to stand for office.

This is because Svalbard has no status as a county, municipality, or separate constituency. Residents on the archipelago are registered under in the municipality where they lived before moving to Svalbard.

However, Svalbard’s largest town Longyearbyen does have an elected local council which is advisory to local and central authorities.

A member of the local council, Olivia Ericson, criticised the new rules in comments to NRK. Ericson, who is Swedish, will be forced to step down at the next local elections.

“It will be very, very small group which will end up representing everyone,” she said.

“I must admit that this does not come as a surprise. It’s more and more obvious that the government wants to change Svalbard politics. But what do you achieve by shutting people out of the local council,” she said.

The Justice Minister, Emilie Enger Mehl, said that the local council would benefit from connection to the mainland.

“Connection to the mainland always contributes to those who administer society having a good knowledge and understanding of Svalbard’s politics and the factors relevant for Svalbard,” Mehl said in a statement.

Significant funding from mainland Norway is transferred to Svalbard for administration of the archipelago due to lower tax rates there, NRK writes.

Ericson said that time spent on Svalbard should weigh more heavily than time on the mainland.

“A Norwegian person who has lived here for eight months has a much narrower view of Svalbard. I’ve live here for ten years and have a lot more experience to fall back on,” she said.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

BRITS IN EUROPE

UK opens voter registration for Brits in Europe as 15-year rule finally ends

The UK has changed its rules on overseas voting, meaning that thousands of Brits living in Europe will be eligible to vote in the next general election - and voter registration opens on Tuesday.

Published: 15 January 2024 16:44 CET
Updated: 16 January 2024 08:34 CET
UK opens voter registration for Brits in Europe as 15-year rule finally ends

Since 2002 the UK operated the ’15-year rule’, meaning that people who have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years can no longer vote in UK elections.

It was this rule that barred tens of thousands of Brits living in Europe from voting in the Brexit referendum – even though its outcome had the potential to up-end their lives.

Now, however, after many false starts and delays, this rule has finally been overturned, meaning that an estimated three million Brits living outside the UK can re-register to vote – and registration opens on Tuesday, January 16th. 

No date has been announced for the next general election, although it must be held before January 28th 2025 – most political watchers think it will either be in May or November 2024. 

The new rule does have some caveats – UK citizens who have never lived in the UK cannot vote, and the overseas voting applies only to general elections (and possibly any forthcoming referendums) – local elections are not covered and there are different rules for the Stormont, Senedd and Holyrood elections, in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

You register your vote in the constituency you were last registered to vote in, or where you last lived if you were not previously registered to vote.

There is an online portal to register – and you can find full details of how to register and what documents you need at this link.

If you’re not sure if you are eligible, the campaign group British in Europe has a helpful Q&A here.

Jane Golding Co-chair of campaign group, British in Europe said: “Voting is a basic citizenship right regardless of where someone lives. This is a historic change to the UK franchise after years of campaigning by ourselves and others, particularly long-term campaigner Harry Shindler, who sadly died before he could use his hard-won vote.”

Once registered, you can either opt for a postal vote or ask for a proxy vote.

There have been problems in the past with postal votes not arriving at overseas addresses in time. The British government has pledged to prioritise the sending of overseas ballots, but that concern remains valid.

You may prefer to opt for the proxy option, in which you authorise a UK-based voter to exercise your right to vote on your behalf. Your proxy does not have to live in the same constituency, as they can ask for a postal vote on your behalf.

UK-based voters may only act as proxies for four people living overseas.

If you have lived out of the UK for less than 15 years and are already registered as an overseas voter, you may still need to re-register, especially if you are registered as a proxy voter as the changes to overseas voting rules means that proxy voters must complete a new declaration.

This can also be done online.

SHOW COMMENTS