Gerry Adams calls for presidential vote for citizens in the north and diaspora

Says French model, where emigrants can vote, is the proper example

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Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD has urged the Irish government to look closely at the electoral rules governing the French presidential election, which begins today. A constitutional convention will shortly take place to discuss emigrant votes and other issues.

Adams said: “Irish passport holders among the diaspora and citizens in the north should have the right to vote in Irish Presidential elections. This must be a priority issue for the constitutional convention.”

Adams pointed out that today: “Almost one million French citizens living abroad and in its overseas territories have the right to vote in the French presidential election.

“The Irish government has committed to discussing voting rights for emigrants in Presidential elections in the constitutional convention."

The Sinn Féin leader said: “Sinn Féin has been consistently pressing the Irish government on voting rights for the diaspora and for citizens in the north in recent years.

“I have raised this matter on a number of occasions directly with the Taoiseach in the Dáil and in our recent conversations on the constitutional convention.

“Specifically in our recent submission to the Irish government on the constitutional convention Sinn Féin has called for it to have a mandate that will allow it to discuss ‘the extension of voting rights for northern citizens and citizens in the diaspora.'”

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