Consensus to scrap voting requirement?

19 July 2007

BRUSSELS – There seems to be consensus surrounding the government formation negotiations that compulsory voting should be scrapped. Only the CDH may be opposed to the measure.

Open VLD leader Bart Somers brought the possibility of scrapping the voting requirement to the table once again at the end of June during his visit to informateur Reynders. The liberals have long opposed compulsory voting, but the Socialists have always refused to discuss scrapping it.

Somers hoped that a breakthrough might be possible with a new government of Christian democrats and liberals. And indeed no one has yet slammed the door on this issue. Some say there is even an agreement in principle on which Open VLD, MR, CD&V and N-VA can agree, though this is somewhat premature.

The CDH has still not voiced its opinion on the matter yet and could become the largest opponent. “It is a healthy democratic principle that everyone must vote. Anyone can decide to cast a blank vote if they so choose,” CDA MP Melchior Wathelet said a few weeks ago.

Subject: Belgian news