Last updated: 16 May 2014
EUROPEAN ELECTIONS IN ROMANIA
On May 25, 2014, French citizens living in Romania, registered on special electoral rolls have the opportunity to elect their representatives in the European Parliament.
Approximately 390 million Europeans, from 28 European countries are called to choose the 751 members of the European Parliament for the following five years.
Hereinafter we shall make a brief presentation of the conditions to be fulfilled by foreign citizens residing in Romania in order to vote at the European elections on Romanian territory.
VOTING RIGHTS OF FOREIGN CITIZENS
EU citizens living in Romania can vote at the European elections either candidates representing their country or Romanian candidates, representing Romania in the European Parliament – provided they are registered on the electoral rolls.
Double voting is forbidden: thus, citizens wishing to vote Romanian candidates in the European Parliament cannot vote for candidates from their state of origin.
As regards citizens with dual citizenship – they can vote for candidates representing the two countries whose citizens they are, benefitting from the same option as foreign citizens living in Romania.
In contrast, Romanian citizens can only vote for candidates representing Romania in the European Parliament.
WHERE AND HOW TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY ?
In order to vote Romanian candidates for the European Parliament, a French citizen residing in Romania must be registered on the electoral list kept at the City Hall and in order to vote they have to go to the local voting station where they are assigned according to the list.
If they wish to vote for candidates representing France in the European Parliament, French citizens must be registered on the special electoral list kept at the French Embassy in Romania and they shall vote at the voting stations open by the Embassy.
French citizens wishing to vote for French candidates shall choose among candidates from the Ile de France constituency (which comprises the Ile-de-France region and French Expatriates).
In order to vote, citizens must present their valid national identity card / passport, but they can also vote by power of attorney. Thus, one can vote through a proxy that has to be registered on the same electoral list as the agent. Moreover, the agent must also submit a sworn statement certifying the fact that he/she cannot travel to the voting station on election day.