Europeans must in some instances be able to vote remotely in the next elections to the European Parliament. 16- and 17-year-olds should also be allowed to vote, says the European Parliament (EP).
Since the coronavirus emerged in Europe, EU countries have been thinking about ways to prevent voters from lighting each other at the polling station. Some Member States give voters more scope to vote remotely, but others are hesitant.
For example, if an epidemic makes this necessary, voters should be able to vote by mail, a proxy or other (new) ways, the EP argues.
The EU countries should think further about the right to vote for young people aged 16 and 17, as is already the rule in some countries, says the European Parliament. In this way, they could ensure that young Europeans could also make themselves heard.
Many more young people voted in the last elections, and according to parliament, they more often vote pro-European.
The European Parliament still has too few women and ethnic minorities, it says. Political parties should therefore alternate between women and men on their candidate lists in the next elections in 2024.