The amendments adopted on Monday to the law on local elections, which will deprive third-country nationals of the right to vote in local elections, have, as expected, encountered strong opposition from the far-left opposition.
The current system was introduced in 2002 and since then, third-country nationals with a permanent residence permit and a declared permanent residence in Slovenia can also vote in local elections for members of the municipal council and the mayor.
More Voices for Less Places
The amendment introduces two important changes: the first is the reintroduction of the possibility of forming several electoral units within individual local communities and urban districts, thus returning to the arrangement that was in force before the amendment of the legislation in November 2024.
The aim of the proposed amendment is to ensure that smaller municipalities will also have the opportunity to elect their representatives and participate in decision-making on local affairs.
The Directive applies to EU citizens
Another important amendment abolishes the active voting right of third-country nationals in local elections, meaning that they would no longer be able to vote for members of municipal councils and mayors, but that the right to vote would remain guaranteed to Slovenian citizens and to citizens of the Member States of the European Union.
This solution, as expected, was met with a sharp reaction from opposition MPs in the debate in the competent parliamentary committee and in the plenary session in the National Assembly. As they stressed, the condition for obtaining a permanent residence permit is five years of continuous residence in Slovenia. This is for people who live, work, pay taxes and co-create these communities, Svoboda and Levica stressed.
But no one asked why it was granted to them in the first place. 24 years ago, the change was justified by the principle of local belonging and adapting to European standards as part of the process of moving closer to EU membership. But the directive, which is derived from European law, provided for the right to vote in local elections only for citizens of other EU Member States and not for citizens of third countries. EU citizens will retain this right even under the updated legislation.
Luka Goršek from SD wondered what the goal was "to take away the right to vote from a few people".
In the company of almost half the EU Member States
The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Gunn Marit Helgesen, nevertheless expressed concern about the proposed amendments, which, in her view, could raise serious questions about the principle of the stability of electoral legislation.
The question is why, then, the Council of Europe is not also concerned about the regulation in many other Member States of the European Union.As can be seen from the Migration Policy Group's Bridging the Gaps in Political Participation: Voting Rights of Third-Country Nationals and EU Citizens in the EU (2004), the regulation is so favourable to foreigners in only a few Member States.
The arrangements vary considerably from one country to another: some countries give the right to vote to third-country nationals after a certain period of residence, some only to citizens of certain countries, and some to none of these third-country nationals.Differences also arise with regard to the level of local self-government.In local elections, foreigners do not vote in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Malta and Poland, i.e. in 12 out of 27 countries.
Restrictions in Austria even for EU citizens
On the other hand, individual countries are also quite restrictive towards citizens of other EU Member States.In Austria, EU citizens may participate in municipal council elections, but in Vienna these are limited to district level elections.The municipality of Vienna, which is also a federal state, and Austria as a state have not extended the voting rights of EU citizens to the regional level.Third-country nationals are excluded from voting at all levels.
As its authors, Sinem Yilmaz and Alexander Wolffhardt, point out in the study, there is a clear pattern across the 27 Member States analysed: EU citizens residing in another Member State tend to enjoy wider political rights than third-country nationals, with the biggest difference being in voting rights at local level.
Mobile EU citizens can participate in local elections in most countries, and in six Member States (Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Slovakia and Sweden) they also have the right to vote in regional elections, which goes beyond the minimum requirements of EU law.
Restricted position
The situation of third-country nationals, however, is much more limited: in many of the countries already mentioned, they do not have the right to vote, while some countries, such as Luxembourg, Slovenia and Sweden, allow them to participate…
Read the full article at Domovina →📄Source document: Law on Local Elections→14 reports
DomovinaIndependentCenter2 days agoThe article discusses recent changes to Slovenia's local elections law, which would revoke the voting rights of citizens from third countries at local elections. The changes aim to reintroduce multiple electoral units within local communities and city districts, addressing concerns about underrepresentation of smaller and more remote areas. The article notes that similar measures exist in other European Union member states.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about legal changes without overtly favoring any political side. It provides context about the proposed reforms and their potential impact, while noting that similar policies exist elsewhere in the EU. There is no clear ideological framing or biased language.
Official sources cited
- government Law on Local Elections
- government European Union Directive
N1 SlovenijaIndependentCenter6 days agoThe National Assembly (Državni zbor) has passed amendments to the law on local elections, which include revoking the voting rights of citizens of other countries who have a permanent residence permit and registered permanent address in Slovenia. The amendments also reintroduce the possibility for municipalities to create multiple electoral units for local communities such as neighborhoods, villages, and districts, rather than just one unit as stipulated by the 2024 amendment. The changes were supported by the governing parties (SDS, NSi, SLS, Fokus, Resnice, and Demokrati), while oppositions (
Bias read (Center): The article reports on legislative changes without overtly favoring any side, presenting facts about the vote outcome and the content of the amendments. It mentions opposition concerns but does not frame them as more significant than the supporting arguments.
Žurnal24IndependentRight6 days agoThe National Assembly has passed amendments to the law on local elections, which revoke the voting rights of citizens of other countries who have a permanent residence permit and registered permanent residence in Slovenia. The changes were approved with 47 votes in favor and 32 against. The Left and Vesna parties have already announced they will challenge these amendments in constitutional court. The amendments also allow municipalities to create multiple electoral units for local communities rather than just one.
Bias read (Right): The article frames the revocation of voting rights for non-citizens as a policy change supported by right-leaning parties (SDS, NSi, SLS, Fokus, Resnice, and Democrats), while opposition comes from left-leaning parties (Gibanje Svoboda, SD, Levica, and Vesna). The emphasis on the legal passage and o
Official sources cited
- government Amendments to the Law on Local Elections
DomovinaIndependentRight6 days ago Third-country nationals will not vote for mayors in the autumnThe Slovenian parliament has approved amendments to the law on local elections, which remove the voting rights of citizens of third countries in local elections. The changes reintroduce the possibility of forming multiple electoral units within individual local communities and city districts, reverting to a previous legal framework. The second amendment removes active voting rights for non-EU citizens in local elections, leaving only Slovenian citizens and EU nationals with this right. The debate was marked by strong opposition from the Freedom Party and other opposition groups.
Bias read (Right): The article frames the removal of voting rights for non-EU citizens as a positive change, emphasizing support from the governing coalition (SDS, NSi, Resni.ca) and noting criticism from the opposition (Freedom Party). It does not provide balanced perspectives or counterarguments from those opposing,
N1 SlovenijaIndependentCenter6 days ago NGOs also over the new local elections law: "The right to vote is not a privilege"Non-governmental organizations in Slovenia have criticized proposed amendments to the Local Elections Act, which would revoke voting rights for citizens of other countries at local elections. The changes were being debated by the National Assembly in an extraordinary session. The NGOs argue that these amendments violate the European Convention on Human Rights and undermine democratic standards by limiting political participation. They emphasize that many foreign residents have lived and contributed to Slovenian society for years.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the positions of multiple non-governmental organizations opposing the proposed law amendments without taking a stance itself. It includes direct quotes from the organizations and mentions concerns raised by the Ombudsman for Human Rights. There is no overtly biased language or o
Official sources cited
- organisation Statement by Non-Governmental Organizations
- government Ombudsman for Human Rights Simona Drenik Bavdek
Siol.netIndependentCenter6 days agoThe National Assembly is considering proposed amendments to the law on local elections, introduced by MPs from SDS, NSi, SLS, Fokus, and Resnice. The proposals include revoking the voting rights of citizens of other countries at local elections, which opposition parties such as Freedom Movement, SD, and Left and Spring oppose, citing constitutional rulings. Another amendment would allow municipalities to create multiple electoral units for smaller communities like neighborhoods and villages, rather than just one unit as established in 2024. Proponents argue this would promote more balanced and
Bias read (Center): The article presents both the proposal and the opposition to it without overtly favoring either side. It includes quotes from proponents and mentions the opposition’s stance, including references to constitutional concerns. There is no clear editorializing or biased language.
Nova24TVParty-alignedCenter6 days agoThe article discusses proposed amendments to the law on local elections currently being debated by members of parliament. The key changes include revoking the voting rights of citizens of other countries at local elections and allowing multiple electoral units for smaller municipal areas rather than just one. The law would take effect immediately after publication in the Official Gazette, with local elections scheduled for July. The proposal has been submitted under an expedited procedure, with proponents arguing that delaying the legislation would create unnecessary time constraints for local
Bias read (Center): The article provides a balanced overview of the proposed legislative changes without apparent ideological bias. It includes statements from both proponents of the changes and references legal provisions, presenting the issue objectively.
Maribor24IndependentCenter6 days agoThe article discusses proposed changes to Slovenia's local elections law, which would revoke voting rights for citizens of other countries at local elections. Non-governmental organizations have criticized these changes as controversial, arguing they undermine democratic standards by limiting political rights of individuals who have lived and contributed to Slovenian society for many years. Over 20 NGOs signed a public statement opposing the changes, emphasizing that the amendments were passed through an abbreviated process without sufficient public or expert debate.
Bias read (Center): The article presents arguments from both sides of the issue—proposed legal changes and opposition from non-governmental organizations—without overtly favoring one perspective. It includes quotes from multiple stakeholders and does not use biased language or selectively omit context.
Official sources cited
- organisation Statement by non-governmental organizations
- government Human Rights Ombudsman Simona Drenik Bavdek
Nova24TVParty-alignedCenter6 days ago Slovenes living in other countries cannot vote in local electionsThe article discusses proposed changes to Slovenia's local elections law that would restrict voting rights on local elections to citizens of the European Union. It notes that Slovenian citizens living abroad cannot vote in local elections due to citizenship requirements, and questions why the left would allow non-citizens in Slovenia to retain this privilege. The article mentions that the current proposal aligns with EU norms and highlights that Slovenia has been an exception by allowing non-EU citizens to vote locally. The left opposes the change, arguing it could affect the number of votes a
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual summary of the proposed legal changes without overtly favoring any side. It includes perspectives from both supporters and opponents of the bill but does not adopt a clear ideological stance or use biased language.
DeloIndependent🔒Center6 days agoThe article discusses proposed amendments to the law on local elections introduced by several parties including SDS, NSi, SLS, Fokus, and Resnica. The amendments would revoke the voting rights of citizens of other countries in local elections and change the structure of elections for smaller parts of municipalities such as neighborhood, village, and district communities. Civil society representatives have criticized the proposal, arguing it could silence approximately 100,000 votes and serve as a political tool to divert attention from issues within local self-government.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both the proposed changes and the criticisms from civil society organizations without overtly favoring either side. It includes direct quotes from critics who argue the amendment could suppress voter voices, but does not explicitly endorse their views over those of the proposers
Official sources cited
- court Infokolpa
- court Kulturno društvo Gmajna
- court Kulturni center Danilo Kiš
- court Albansko kulturno društvo Liria
N1 SlovenijaIndependentCenter6 days ago In the parliament about substitute members and changes to the law on local electionsThe National Assembly (DZ) is set to decide on proposed amendments to the law on local elections, suggested by MPs from SDS, NSi, SLS, Fokus, and Resnice. The amendment would allow for multiple electoral units in smaller parts of municipalities, such as neighborhoods, villages, and quarters, rather than just one unit per municipality, as was decided in 2024. It also proposes revoking the voting rights of citizens of third countries at local elections. The proposal is supported by the Democratic Party but opposed by opposition parties, including Movement Freedom and Left, who argue it removes a
Bias read (Center): The article presents both sides of the debate without overtly favoring one over the other. It includes statements from both supporters and opponents of the proposed changes, providing a balanced view of the issue.
RTV Slovenija (MMC)State / PublicCenter6 days agoThe National Assembly (DZ) will decide on amendments to the law on local elections during an extraordinary session. The proposed changes, supported by parties including SDS, NSi, SLS, Focus, and Resni.ca, would allow for multiple electoral units in smaller communities such as village, town, and district communities, rather than just one unit as stipulated by a 2024 amendment. The proposal also includes revoking the voting rights of citizens of other countries at local elections. The opposition, particularly the Movement Freedom and Left, argues that this would unjustly strip foreign residents—
Bias read (Center): The article presents both the proposal and the opposition arguments without overtly favoring either side. It includes perspectives from both supporters and critics of the proposed changes, with no clear editorializing or biased language.
Official sources cited
- government Parliamentary legislative service
Maribor24IndependentRight7 days ago Before the amendment to local elections: will foreigners lose the right to vote?The National Assembly is set to decide on amendments to the law on local elections during an extraordinary session. The proposed changes would revoke the voting rights of citizens of third countries.
Bias read (Right): The article presents the proposal to revoke voting rights for non-citizens in a neutral tone but frames it as a potential policy change without providing counterarguments or alternative perspectives. The focus on revoking voting rights suggests a conservative or nationalist framing, which aligns the
Nova24TVParty-alignedCenter11 days ago Kosi: We don't want to silence anyone. When a foreigner becomes a citizen, he will get the right to vote.The National Assembly Committee on Internal Affairs and Public Administration discussed proposed amendments to the Local Elections Act, which would remove the right to vote in local elections for citizens of third countries. The proposal, supported by several parties including SDS, NSi, SLS, Fokus, and Respublika, aims to prevent non-EU nationals with permanent residence in Slovenia from voting for mayors and municipal councils. The amendment also includes provisions regarding individuals with unresolved criminal convictions. The changes would take effect at the next local elections if passed.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on legislative proposals without overtly favoring any political side. It presents facts about the proposed law and quotes a representative from one party, but does not exhibit biased language or selective sourcing.
Official sources cited
- government National Assembly Committee on Internal Affairs and Public Administration
Slovenia