{"id":4508,"date":"2015-05-25T21:43:10","date_gmt":"2015-05-25T20:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/?p=4508"},"modified":"2015-05-25T21:43:10","modified_gmt":"2015-05-25T20:43:10","slug":"eu-citizens-not-eligible-for-referendum-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/index.php\/eu-citizens-not-eligible-for-referendum-vote\/","title":{"rendered":"EU citizens not eligible for referendum vote"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"EU<\/a>Citizens from most EU countries living in the UK will not get a vote in the referendum on Europe, 10 downing street has said.
\nThose eligible \u2013 the franchise \u2013 will be the same as those who can vote in a general election, rather than local or European Parliament elections.
\nThis means Irish, Maltese and Cypriot residents in the UK will get a vote, but other EU citizens will not.
\nDavid Cameron is to hold talks with the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at Chequers later.
\nLegislation for the voting eligibility of the referendum \u2013 which the Conservatives have promised to hold before the end of 2017 \u2013 will be introduced to Parliament via the EU Referendum Bill on Thursday.
\nThe Bill will make clear that the franchise will follow the same rules as the general election, plus members of the House of Lords and Commonwealth citizens in Gibraltar.
\nBritish, Irish and Commonwealth citizens over 18 who are resident in the UK will be eligible to vote, as well as UK nationals resident overseas for less than 15 years.
\nA 10 downing street source said: \u201cNo Brit under the age of 58 has had their say on the UK\u2019s membership of the European Union.
\n\u201cIt is time to put this right and to give people the choice \u2013 in or out.
\n\u201cThis is a big decision for our country, one that is about the future of the United Kingdom. That\u2019s why we think it\u2019s important that it is British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens that are the ones who get to decide.\u201d
\nEurosceptics have previously claimed that as many as 1.5 million people from other EU countries could have been allowed to vote in the referendum, if it had taken place under the rules for local government elections which allow citizens of other member states to vote in them.<\/p>\n

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