CITIZENS' RIGHTS: PUBLIC DIVIDED ON ALLOWING FOREIGNERS VOTE IN EURO-ELECTIONS.

Article 19 of the EC Treaty grants EU citizens the right to vote and stand as a candidate in any Member State, for local or European (although not national), elections. However, it says nothing about voting rights of non-EU nationals resident in the EU. The French-based Letter of Citizenship group has commissioned annual surveys since 1994 on public support for allowing foreigners to vote in municipal elections. The present survey, carried out between 14 November and 7 December 2000, focused on European elections. It indicates that EU citizens are slightly less in favour of allowing foreign residents to vote in European elections, than they are about municipal elections.The Danes were by far those most opposed to extending the right, with only 15% in favour and 71% against. Notably, in Sweden and Finland - Denmark's Nordic neighbours - a slim majority favoured extending the right. In the UK, there was only 27% support with 62% opposed...