Proposition 53K3225

Projet de loi portant dispositions diverses en matière électorale.

General information ¶

Submitted by

PS | SP the Di Rupo government

Submission date

Dec. 4, 2013

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

tax on investment income regions and communities of Belgium national parliament organisation of elections election

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP Open Vld N-VA LDD MR VB

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

Jan. 9, 2014 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

The draft law is intended to amend several provisions concerning elections. This includes a number of technical adjustments in connection with the federal elections. It is intended that these adjustments will already apply to the upcoming federal elections on 25 May. I will outline a number of key strengths of the draft law.

This means significant progress for disabled voters who can be accompanied by a person of their choice. It is also very interesting that the election results communicated so far at the canton level will now be communicated at the municipal level. So we will be able to get more information. The nomination act of the candidates may include the usual and unofficial name of a candidate. There is also the possibility for candidates of both sexes to supplement their name with the identity of the spouse.

This issue was discussed at the committee meeting on 11 December. There were amendments by Mr. Arens of CDH and all were unanimously approved.

On behalf of the N-VA, I can also agree with this. We approved the draft and will do so again today. However, we would have wanted to go a step further. I refer to a bill proposed by the MR, which was re-submitted a few months ago, for the abolition of the devolving function of the list vote and the abolition of the successors. We think it might even have gone in that direction, but that may be something for the future. Hopefully you will work on this before the elections.

This bill will at least get our support.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Minister, dear colleagues, you will allow me to gather in one speech our point of view on the two projects concerning the organization of the next 25 May elections.

First, I would like to emphasize the importance of these texts. It would ⁇ be exaggerated to say that our democratic system is going through a period of crisis. However, we must note that the number of citizens who do not go to the polls to fulfill their duty is increasing from elections to elections. This can only be an expression of discomfort.

Contrary to the statements of some who prefer to break the thermometer rather than treat the fever, these projects go in the right direction. They facilitate voting operations and enhance transparency. In the same movement, although they cannot be enough to give citizens an interest in the public thing, which depends above all on how the elected people fulfill the mandate, these projects thus participate in facilitating the expression for the voter of the choices he makes for our society.

I would like to comment on a substantial point of the matter. I would like to welcome the attention being paid to facilitating the participation of persons with disabilities in voting operations. Certainly, I was able to express in a committee my concern that from now on, persons with physical, intellectual or sensory disabilities would be allowed to be accompanied in the isolator by a trusted person rather than by the chairman of the voting office.

My fear was that the new definition would be read in a very broad way and would eventually include in the notion of disability problems that do not fall within the scope of medicine. I think in particular of the difficulties encountered by some of our seniors in the face of electronic voting machines.

You reassured me that those who encounter this type of difficulty will remain the responsibility of the chairman of the office. This seems to me essential, since this is the only one capable of embodying the indispensable secret of the isolator.

I would also like to conclude my speech by greeting in advance the Chairmen of the Bureau, those ordinary citizens who during the day of May 25 will embody the Belgian State and democracy with rigour and competence; as well as all the Belgians who will participate as advisors in the voting operations. I will also add all those community agents who will ensure the proper progress of the democratic process.

It is their dedication and commitment during this day that best embodies the beauty and honor of our electoral system. Let them be grateful for the time they will devote to the democratic life of our country. I thank you for your attention.

Since I have not commented on the report, I will repeat what I have said.

The arrangements to make places more accessible seem to us really are going in the right direction. The fact that this is flooded into a law will help move forward. We hope that we will still have the opportunity to move forward on the simplified language as it is useful not only for people who have difficulties in understanding but also for all the citizens who receive a call to vote, which includes all legal mentions, and who do not directly understand what is wanted for them. In areas as important as access to voting, we hope that there will be a willingness to work in as simplified language as possible.

Mrs. Minister, you answered me that this was unfortunately not possible for the election calls because the entire document was totally fixed. But since we know that in this Parliament everything can be touched, I hope that we will have the opportunity to propose a simpler text, which makes everyone more comfortable when they receive their call and will immediately understand what it is about. More generally, in a lot of administrative spheres, too complicated documents are sent to people, who don’t directly realize what it is.

I welcome this support. I have nothing specific to add. In my opinion, these are indispensable provisions for the next deadline.