Vacancies

The ‘Voters Without Borders’ (VWB) ECI may not have gathered enough signatures but it did achieve a major breakthrough.

Picture this — our extraordinary task force of Erasmus students might as well have penned the words: “Mobile EU citizens’ right to vote and stand should be expanded to regional and national elections in Member States.” We have also been “concerned by the practice of certain Member States of depriving their citizens of the right to vote in national parliamentary elections when they live abroad”. We could also have urged Member States “to end this form of disenfranchisement” and indeed one of us, Ailbhe Kelly, fearlessly voiced this demand in this report.

Except it isn’t us that we are quoting, but two MEPs — Alin Mikuta and Niklas Nienass — in a draft report for the powerful AFCO Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament 2023/2017 (INI). Isn’t it remarkable to witness an ECI transform into a European Parliament initiative? Imagine the impact if the Parliament votes in favour of the Committee report!

VWB should therefore not just stay alive but must continue to campaign for full political rights for mobile EU citizens and eventually for all residents and taxpayers.

Do you want to be part of VWB 2 and continue the age-old struggle for universal suffrage?  VWB 1 monitored cross-border and EU citizen voting in local and national elections. You could be part of a new taskforce to pick up and expand citizen electoral monitoring to the run-up and execution of the European elections. One aim will be to hold a symbolic European election on 26 April 2024 ahead of the real elections on 9 June.

How could anyone wanting to turn European studies into practice and who recognises the crucial significance of maximising voter turnout in the 2024 elections, possibly pass up this GOLDEN opportunity? Especially since the taskforce will get training and the support of the ECIT Foundation whilst having the responsibility of shaping its own agenda and activity.

To apply, please email your CV and a letter of motivation to us. For more information, please see the background note. There is a lot more on the ECIT and VWB websites.

For all successful applicants:
Rendez-vous in front of the European Parliament from 12pm to 2pm on Wednesday 19 July to meet each other and MEPs, followed by a seminar on the European elections.