matt.berlin

Up until now, British citizens have lost their right to vote in general elections and nationwide referendums (such as the Brexit referendum in 2016) when they have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years. This has meant that many UK citizens living abroad have not had a say in decisions that have a direct impact on their lives here in Germany and elsewhere. The Elections Act 2022 has now removed this limit and given people back their vote.   British in Europe is currently working to ensure that the changes in the law are implemented in a way that actually work for UK citizens living abroad, e.g. by highlighting any issues that would make it difficult to register to vote or to vote itself. To get a clear picture on the issues people might face, British in Europe is running a survey on voting rights, which closes on Saturday night (4th March 2023). If you are British, please take a few minutes to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.de/r/BiE_Voting_Rights   Please also share the survey with other Brits you know living outside the UK (not just in Europe but anywhere in the world!)

  Yes, it would be the last constituency that you lived in. For people already on the Electoral Register that is less problematic but for people who aren't, you would need to show proof of where you last lived in the UK. That's one of the issues that British in Europe is looking at: what evidence would be required and are they things that people would actually have available to show. The survey also asks about how you vote or would like to vote. For example, whilst it isn't part of the current proposals, some countries allow electronic voting or in-person voting in your country of residence (e.g. at the Embassy or Consulate).   Some countries have specific constituencies for their citizens abroad, e.g. France has 11 constituencies for the Assemblée nationale (French citizens in Germany are covered by a constituency covering Central Europe and the Balkans).