Information for Union citizens

Union citizens residing in Germany can take part in European elections in Germany if, on election day,

1. they have reached the age of sixteen years,
2. they have had a domicile or have otherwise been permanently resident for at least three months in the Federal Republic of Germany or in the other member states of the European Union, and
3. are not disqualified from voting in the Federal Republic of Germany or in their member state of origin.

 

Back to top

A Union citizen who wants to go to the polls in Germany has to be on the voters’ register.

1. Registration ex officio

Union citizens entitled to vote will ex officio be entered in a voters’ register by the competent municipal authority if they were enrolled in a voters’ register in the Federal Republic of Germany for the European Parliament election of 13 June 1999 or a later European election, provided they are registered with a residents’ registration office on the 42^nd day before the election (= 28 April 2024) and had not departed to a foreign country in the meantime. Like all others entitled to vote, they will receive a voter’s notification from the municipal authority by the 21^st day before the election at the latest.

Union citizens who moved abroad and returned to the Federal Republic of Germany have to re-apply for entry in a voters’ register.

2. Registration upon application

Union citizens who are not entered ex officio into a voters’ register (see no. 1.) have to submit a formal application to be registered. The application must have been received by the municipality of their place of residence on the 21^st day before election (= 19 May 2024) at the latest. This period cannot be extended.

The application has to bear the applicant’s personal handwritten signature; its original must be submitted to the competent municipal authority. The application must not be sent by e-mail or fax.

You may download the application form from this webpage as pdf file. It contains an information leaflet with instructions for completing the form. Printed application forms are available in the electoral office of your municipality.

Back to top

Union citizens wishing to elect European parliament members from their country of origin should contact the competent agency of that country for more information. The foreign missions of the respective countries of origin provide further information on legal aspects and the relevant procedures.

If you are listed ex officio in a voters’ register in Germany (see question “How can I take part in the election in Germany?”, no. 1) but want to exercise your right to vote in the country you come from, you have to file a written request with the competent municipal authority by the 21^st day before the election (= 19 May 2024) at the latest, stating that you do not want to be on their voters' register. As the de-registration will be permanent, you will have to apply to be registered again if you should wish to vote in Germany in any future European election (see question “How can I take part in the election in Germany?”, no. 2).

You may download the application form from this webpage as pdf file. It contains an information leaflet with instructions for completing the form. Printed application forms are available also in the electoral office of your municipality.

Application form:

Antrag für Unionsbürgerinnen und Unionsbürger, nicht im Wählerverzeichnis geführt zu werden

Note for users of the Mozilla Firefox browser in the integrated PDF viewer: The browser contains a known issue which causes that the date of birth entered is always displayed as “01011970”. Please download the PDF file and open it in another PDF program.

Back to top