Just a question whether Poles can vote in UK general elections, aware they can vote in Local and Euro ones.
Just wondering whether they can vote in NI in a general election or would they be required to take out UK Citizenship first. Given their numbers it could make a sizeable impact on some constituencies.
No.
(Apparently this post is too short so I have to lengthen it.)
No they can't.
Only UK, Commonwealth citizens and Irish citizens are allowed to vote in UK general elections under UK law (EU law doesn't apply to this question). So Irish, Maltese and Cypriots resident in the UK can vote in general elections - but no other EU citizens.
In most EU countries only citizens can vote in general elections, but EU law says all residents must be allowed to vote in local elections and all resident EU citizens must be allowed to vote in EU elections. Rules on general and presidential elections are up to the member state.
In Ireland Poles are allowed to vote in local and EU, but not general elections. While British citizens resident in Ireland are allowed to vote in everything except presidential elections and referenda.
"Who will bailout the IMF after FF is finished with them?"
They can't vote in Seanad elections either. At least, not those who are voting as university graduates. Where it would leave someone who is a British citizen and a county councillor is probably open to question.Originally Posted by seabhcan
My political compass
Economic Left/Right: 0.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.36
So someone ensuring Poles acquire UK citizenship after X number of years could benefit quite a bit with their potential votes.......interesting.
You mean like they already qualify for citizenship after a number of years' residency (and passing a test etc..) or do you mean in another way? Not so sure it's that interesting.
After 5 years residency I believe they can apply for it. Given that many will stay as permanent residents then it could make senses. In local elections it could have quite an impact so why not in a GE.
Very few will bother. Except for voting there is no advantage, and that wouldn't encourage more than a small minority.
Just look at how few Brits apply for Spanish citizenship despite about 1 million UK citizens being perminantely resident in Spain.
And remember the UK voting system means that there are very few marginal constituencies where poles - who are widely dispersed - could make a difference.
More interesting is the fact that Northern Ireland assembly elections are considered 'local' and so poles can alread vote in them. Few do, though.
"Who will bailout the IMF after FF is finished with them?"
as an irish(and therefore eu citizen) I have full voting rights in the UK, and have never had to do anything to obtain it, presume its the same for the poles. Im not a UK citizen either.
They (and everybody else from the EU) can vote in Stormont elections. But interest was very low as most parties didn't really have a policy towards them except for the APNI.
"The thing that always annoyed me about traditional Irish historiography was the paradox of its Anglocentrism. People are now prepared, I think, to confront the possibility that many Irish problems are, in a sense, indigenous to the Irish situation." Roy Foster (1989).
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