Permanent Residency and Political Rights for Long-Term Migrants in the EU

master's thesis

• Author: Magdalena Tsaneva
• Mentor: Enes Kulenović (mentor)
• Committee member: Enes Kulenović (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Vedrana Baričević (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Hrvoje Butković (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; The Faculty of Political Science; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-09-16, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Political Science

Abstract

While the world is facing rising conflicts, displacement and migration, Europe is facing a
demographic crisis with aging populations and declining birth rates. To address this, the EU
and its Member States have considered increasing immigration but have largely neglected the political participation of the people who stay long enough to obtain long-term residency. As the non-EU population is growing in numbers, these individuals currently lack the
opportunity for direct political participation and voting rights in European elections, even
with a long-term residency status.

This research focuses on the political rights of long-term non-EU residents in the Union. It
argues that the current system, which limits voting rights solely to EU citizens, is inconsistent
with the EU’s commitment to human rights and democracy. The study aims to examine the
potential benefits of extending voting rights to long-term residents and challenges the concept that such rights should be exclusive to EU Member State citizens.

The research finds that including long-term residents in the electoral process could enhance
integration, economic growth, and democratic values within the Union. By recognizing these
individuals as full members of the society, the EU can create a more inclusive and
representative democracy. However, the study acknowledges the need for further research to develop concrete proposals for implementing such a change.

The thesis concludes that the EU should reconsider its approach to political participation to
better align with the demands of the current global order and its human rights commitments.
Granting voting rights to long-term residents would not only be a step towards a more just
and equal society but also a practical measure to address the challenges posed by
demographic change and increasing migration.

• Keywords: human rights; voting; political participation; European Union
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:114:620732
• Study programme: Title: Master of European Studies; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: MAGISTAR EUROPSKIH STUDIJA (MAGISTAR EUROPSKIH STUDIJA)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-10-04 08:17:37