ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the emergence of political rights for nonnationals in the context of the development of the European Union (E.U.), with a particular focus upon the question of E.U. citizens voting in national and regional elections in the Member States in which they reside but of which they do not hold nationality. It reviews first the development of “E.U.” and what that means in political and constitutional terms, and then moves on to review the different mechanisms which could be applied to enhance the political rights of E.U. citizens. Under the current state of E.U. law and with the current state of competences, any formal change to the rights and status of E.U. citizens within the Member States will need to be driven forward by national action. Ireland is the only other E.U. Member State which gives rights to vote in national elections to nationals of another E.U. Member State.
