Campaign initiated for political representation for British residents in Europe
In the realm of national politics, the representation of overseas citizens varies significantly across different countries. A recent petition, set up on the UK's parliament website, advocates for inclusivity by extending parliamentary representation to the 5 million British citizens living overseas.
The petition, authored by an expat living in Hong Kong with strong UK ties, calls for the establishment of an MP specifically to represent the interests of British citizens living overseas. This move is inspired by countries like France, Italy, and Croatia, which already have a system of parliamentary representation for their overseas citizens.
France, for instance, has a system where overseas citizens are represented in the National Assembly and Senate. There are 11 deputies representing French citizens living abroad, elected by those registered on the electoral lists for overseas French citizens. Italian citizens living abroad also have representation, with 12 deputies and 6 senators elected by Italians living outside Italy, divided into four electoral constituencies.
Croatia takes a unique approach, with 11 members of the Croatian Parliament (Sabor) elected to represent Croatian citizens living abroad. These members are elected by the diaspora community. In contrast, the UK does not have specific parliamentary seats dedicated to overseas citizens. British citizens living abroad can vote in UK parliamentary elections if they have been registered to vote in the UK within the past 15 years.
However, British expats face restrictions compared to those living in the UK. They can vote in General Elections but need to register annually to maintain their eligibility. This contrasts with the voting rights of French, Italian, and Croatian citizens living abroad, who have the right to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections if they are registered on the electoral lists.
The goal of the petition is to ensure overseas citizens can shape the future of their home country by extending parliamentary representation to them. By having their interests represented in British Parliament, the author believes it is vital to address the current lack of essential parliamentary representation for British expats, despite their significant contributions to their home country.
Each French MP overseas represents a specific 'constituency', such as French people in northern Europe. The petition aims to replicate this model, ensuring that British expats have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives abroad. The petition can be found on the UK's parliament website, providing an opportunity for British expats to make their voices heard and contribute to shaping the future of their home country.
The petition, inspired by the parliamentary representation systems in France, Italy, and Croatia, seeks to establish a British MP specifically to represent the interests of British citizens living overseas, much like the 11 deputies in France's National Assembly and Senate who represent French citizens abroad. The petition's goal is to extend parliamentary representation to British expats, enabling them to have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives abroad, as seen in the policy-and-legislation realm of countries like France, Italy, and Croatia, where general-news often discusses the significant influence of overseas citizens in shaping their home countries.
