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Enfranchising EU Citizens | Conference on International Human Rights Day 2021

Enfranchising EU Citizens | Conference on International Human Rights Day 2021

Dec 10, 2021
2pm-6pm
Online
Free

D66 Delft is holding a conference, entitled "Enfranchising EU Citizens", taking place on International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2021, from 2pm-6pm. The talks and discussion will be in English and the event takes place online.

Keynote speeches and panel discussions

In two series of keynote speeches followed by panel discussions, speakers will address the plans of D66 to extend full voting rights to EU nationals living in the Netherlands. It will consider how enfranchising EU Citizens will help to internalise their perspectives and interests and can support making national democracies in Europe more international and inclusive. The conference is particularly of interest to expats as it addresses the importance and urgency of enfranchising, while also considering alternatives such as making it easier for people to have dual citizenship.

Speakers at the Enfranchising EU Citizens conference

Keynote speeches at the conference will be given by:

  • Sophie In’t Veld - MEP
  • Patrick Bijsmans - Associate Professor European Studies
  • Afke Groen - Hans van Mierlo Foundation Researcher
  • Mendeltje van Keulen - Professor Changing Role of Europe
  • Laurence Guérin - Professor of Global Citizenship
  • Tony Venables - ECIT Founder

The keynote speeches will be followed by panel discussions moderated by Thomas Peutz of the International Working Group who will open up the discussion to the audience. Read more about the conference and the speakers on the D66 website. 

D66 Enfranchising EU citizens

Photo: courtesy of D66

Structure of the conference

The conference will consist of two series of keynote speeches, each followed by a panel discussion that will be opened up for a Q&A. The first series of keynote speeches and panel will focus on European integration and EU democratisation in times of Euro-scepticism and will move from there to the expat and bring the extension of voting rights into the discussion.

The second series of speeches and panel will start with the individual living abroad and addresses the importance and urgency to enfranchise EU Citizens while it will consider alternatives such as making it easier for people to have dual citizenship.

The panel discussions will focus on how extending voting rights to EU Citizens in the EU country where they live can:

  • enfranchise EU Citizens living abroad.
  • can engage EU Citizens with the local political discourse and inform political parties about best practices elsewhere.
  • support further EU integration.
  • mitigate Euro-scepticism and populist-nationalist tendencies.

After discussing the topics with the panel, the moderator will open up to the audience through a Q&A session.

Enfranchising EU Citizens conference organisers

The Enfranchising EU Citizens conference is organised by the International Working Group of D66 Delft in association with the Thema Afdeling Europa, ECIT Foundation, Voters Without Borders and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Peace to address the plans of D66 to extend full voting rights to EU citizens living in the Netherlands.

Attend the conference online

Due to the current Covid-19 conditions, the Enfranchising EU Citizens conference will take place online with a professional livestream setup. Follow the online conference. D66 is looking forward to welcoming the Dutch expat community to the conference!

Thumb photo: courtesy of D66