35 associations, civic groups ask President Iohannis to notify CCR on Diaspora’s right to vote

35 associations and civic groups in Diaspora and in Romania have sent a letter to President Klaus Iohannis requesting him to notify the Constitutional Court and complaining that Romanians abroad are not fairly represented in parliament, pointing to the restricted right to vote abroad.

The associations argue that the Romanians in Diaspora want to have their say concerning the fatherland and that the country has to listen to its sons and daughters.

“For Parliamentary elections, the Romanians abroad were and are prevented from exercising the right to vote by physical, IT and mostly legal obstacles. They are not fairly represented in Parliament. Their vote has a lower weigh than the one of their compatriots at home,” the letter reads, according to ziare.com.

After the elections in December 2016, several Romanians in Diaspora and in the country have joined efforts to denounce this injustice and addressed the Ombudsman. Requesting the referral to CCR on the partial unconstitutionality og Law 208/2015 on elections. The request was registered by the Ombudsman with no. 1297/January 28, 2019 and was followed by 83 related requests coming from Romania, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, UAE, the UK and Ireland.

The Ombudsman has rejected the request on grounds that show an erroneous understanding of the rule of law, the associations say.

The signatories are:

Grupul de actiune “Un Timbru pentru Dreptate”, Actiunea Civica Galati, Alba Iulia Civica, Aradul Civic, Asociatia Bihorul Civic, Asociatia Civica #activag Pitesti, Asociatia Platforma Romania 100, Canada Save Rosia, Coruptia Ucide, Cuza vrea dreptate Iasi, Diaspora Franta Solidara cu Romania, Grupul Civic Cetatean Implicat, Grupul Civic Madrid, Initiativa Timisoara, Miscarea Civica Diaspora Belgia, Miscarea pentru Dezvoltarea Moldovei, ProCivic Baia Mare, #Reset, #Rezist Constanta, #Rezist Iasi, #Rezist Marseille, #Rezist Milano, #Rezist Toronto, Rezist Bilbao, Rezist Budapesta, Rezist Dublin, Rezist Galati, Rezist Ingolstadt. Si eu sunt din Romania, Rezist- Londra Protestatari Pro Democratie, Rezist Lyon, Rezist WMW, Rezist Zurich, Rezistenta din Diaspora, Stafeta Steagului Uniunii Europene, Va vedem din Iasi.