Petition launched today by the European Disability Forum calls for action from EU Governments.
Stairs in polling stations. Long, complicated instructions. Unreadable voting ballots. Blind and severely visually impaired persons being obliged, when casting their vote, to be assisted by persons not of their choice (e.g. members of the polling station team). Deprivation of the legal right to vote for persons with intellectual disabilities. These common issues still prevent persons with disabilities from voting in 2019.
Over 80 million persons
with
disabilities routinely face easy-to-solve problems in voting. In a time where abstention, scepticism and political apathy are higher than ever, providing accessible elections is essential. It will show that European governments still care about their citizens.
This is why today we are launching our “European elections for all” petition.
It tells leaders that we want a Europe of equals. It tells leaders that they need to make Europe more democratic. It tells leaders that over 80 million European voices matter.
Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum stated “Voting, and standing for elections, are two of the most important rights we have. This ongoing discrimination has to end.”
Join your voice to ours.