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Statutory obligation to vote

There is no statutory obligation to vote in the Federal Republic of Germany in contrast to other countries such as Belgium, Greece Luxembourg and Cyprus. There, a citizen will for instance be fined if he or she abstains from voting without a sufficient reason. According to the German concept, a statutory obligation to vote would contradict the freedom to vote. It goes without saying that there is a certain moral obligation to participate in elections (“The right to vote is an obligation to vote“).

Last update: 13 February 2023