Access to political participation for homeless people

4.12.2020

Question for written answer  E-006631/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Leila Chaibi (GUE/NGL), Manon Aubry (GUE/NGL), Manuel Bompard (GUE/NGL), Younous Omarjee (GUE/NGL), Anne-Sophie Pelletier (GUE/NGL)

In its resolution on stocktaking of European elections[1] adopted during the November plenary session, Parliament acknowledges that access to political participation for homeless people is difficult to achieve. As the number of those experiencing homelessness across the EU has increased in the past 10 years and at least 700 000 people are homeless in the EU on any given day[2], Parliament is urging the Member States, through this resolution, to guarantee that all homeless people are able to exercise this right.

• 1.Will the Commission initiate a process to review Council Directive 93/109/EC of 6 December 1993[3] in order to remove the request for proof of address for voter registration, as this can serve to exclude homeless people in countries where they cannot obtain an administrative address?
• 2.Will the Commission consider addressing homeless people’s lack of access to voting by allocating financial resources in order to raise awareness on this issue?
• 3.Will the Commission consider developing an EU framework for national homelessness strategies to put an end to homelessness as a way of enabling full access to public services and participation in society, including to voting, for all?

• [1] Texts adopted, P9_TA(2020)0327 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0327_EN.html).
• [2] FEANTSA and Fondation Abbé-Pierre, ‘Fifth Overview of Housing Exclusion in Europe 2020’, July 2020.
• [3] Council Directive 93/109/EC of 6 December 1993 laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for citizens of the Union residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals, OJ L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 34.