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Where are the electoral reform proposals?

By Noreen Bowden | July 13, 2010

Where are the electoral reform proposals? We know that proposals for emigrant voting rights in presidential elections have been promised as part of the Programme for Government. First we were told that electoral reform proposals would be presented before April, then before summer, and now with the Dail going off for its 12-weeks of summer holidays, we’re told that electoral reform remains a priority for autumn. Good to hear.

Meanwhile in India, serious moves are being made toward bringing to fruition the Indian prime minister’s intention to allow expats to vote in elections back home. The significance of this, of course, is that Indian diaspora policies are widely regarded as being among the most progressive in the world – Ireland has few peers in successful diaspora engagement, but India is one of the few countries that does it better than we do. It would be impossible for our policy makers not to take note, as we are left more and more conspicuously part of a dwindling number of nations that allow expats no voice in their home countries.

Update: Electoral proposal reforms have been announced. Most surprisingly, they did not include the possibility of voting in presidential elections that had been promised.

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