Voting in Italian elections

[Genhud]

Hi - another question for you wise ones that have been here longer than us.....Who votes in Italian elections - do you have to have Italian nationality or does it depend on residency?

[anne2]

Having residency does not automatically entitle you to vote in Italian parliamentary elections. I think you have to be an Italian citizen or have had residency for a minimum number of years - not sure how many as I have been told 5, 7 & 10 by various people! Perhaps another forum member will know.

[Gala Placidia]

Hi! Here you have the actual text of the Italian Constitution and the articles related to Political Rights.

Title IV: Political Rights

Art. 48
All citizens, male and female, who have attained their majority, are electors.

The vote is personal and equal, free and secret. The exercise thereof is a civic duty.

An Act of Parliament shall establish the conditions and the procedures under which Italian nationals resident abroad may exercise their right to vote in Italian elections, and shall guarantee its effectiveness. For this purpose a 'Foreign Constituency' shall be created to which Members to both Houses of Parliament shall be elected. The number of seats shall be established by a constitutional law and comply with the criteria enacted by Act of Parliament.

The right to vote cannot be restricted except for civil incapacity or as a consequence of an irrevocable penal sentence or in cases of moral unworthiness as laid down by law.


Art. 49
All citizens have the right to freely associate in parties to contribute through democratic processes to determining national policies.


Art. 50
All citizens may present petitions to both Houses to request legislative measures or to express collective needs.


Art. 51
All citizens of either sex are eligible for public office and for elected positions on equal terms, according to the conditions established by law.

The law may grant Italians who are not resident in the Republic the same rights as citizens for the purposes of access to public offices and elected positions.

Whoever is called to perform an elected public office has the right to have the needful time to carry out that function and to conserve his place of work.

[Aretina]

Hi

I sort of thought that an 'immigrant' such as I am.. (without, as yet, permanent residency) cannot vote in national elections - but as an immigrant from another EU country in this case the UK I can vote in European elections. But, you have to register first with the comune and get yourself on the electoral roll.

[NickZ]

IIRC Citizens can vote in everything.
non-citizens can vote in local elections. This applies to EU and I think this year to everybody.

[Aretina]

Hi NickZ

What are IIRC citizens?
Have never heard the term.

[NickZ]

IIRC is

If
I
Recall
Correctly

[Aretina]

Thanks Nick,

So, when we do become residents, we still wont be able to vote in national elections??
Or will we??
My ex was born a non-UK citizen but eventually had dual nationality so he was able to vote in UK elections.

Thanks I'll remember the iifc.

My past life was in teaching, not the office, so didn't get many of these shortcuts... my daughter and sister still laugh when I sign off lol Mumxxx it was ages before they put me out of my misery and said Mum, lol means lots of laughs/laughing out loud....I always meant Lots of Love..

[NickZ]

No only citizens can vote for the national elections [Like this april] I think in the past some groups have floated the idea of widening the voter pool but it's not exactly a big issue with most. At least I haven't noticed a ground swell to support the issue.

No if eventually you naturalize and become an Italian citizen you can vote.

[Nardini]

Originally Posted by NickZ

IIRC Citizens can vote in everything.
non-citizens can vote in local elections. This applies to EU and I think this year to everybody.

Yes, indeed. As a registered resident one can vote for the local (UK council equivalent) elections. As an EU citizen (this includes all Brit citizens) you can also vote in the European elections for a candidate local to your registered residence. As an Italian citizen (and ONLY as an Italian citizen) you can vote in the national Italian elections. It is worth noting that you can only have ONE residence in Europe where you vote for the EU elections, so no multiple votes are allowed - although I have been told that some people have managed to vote in both Italy and the UK (I have no idea why anyone would want to). I have also been told that some Brits can vote here in Italy without having citizenship - and also that Santa Clause has a red beard.