Students not to work polls

20 February 2007

BRUSSELS — Students will not be obliged to man voting stations or count ballots for the general elections on 10 June, Minister of the Interior Patrick Dewael has ruled. He instructed all mayors on this point today.

An information campaign for the students will follow, Gazet van Antwerpen writes.

Because the upcoming elections coincide with the end of the spring semester, it has created a lot of tension among students, who are particularly busy at this time of the year. This is why Dewael is asking all municipalities to compile lists with those of their residents who are still in college or university and can therefore be exempt from working at voting stations.

A broad-scale information campaign later this year will explain what every student should do should he or she still be summoned by the polling station.

Subject: Belgian news