Tag Archives: civic engagement

Is the post-Brexit reality the end of the political representation of the EU nationals in Britain?

By Michal Siewniak | Mon 1st March 2021 - 2:38 pm

I am sure that most readers will be aware that there are now approximately 800,000 Poles living in the UK. Many, because of Brexit uncertainty and the health pandemic, have now left. However, Polish nationals are still one of the largest minority groups in the UK. Polish migration to the UK has a long standing history. But did you know that there are currently only 12 serving Polish Cllrs in the UK? In my view, although the current Parliament has never been more diverse, the lack of political representation is still evident.

In May 2020, Poland and UK have signed a bilateral agreement. This step was and is significant for a number of reasons:

Polish nationals in the UK and British nationals in Poland will be able to vote and stand in the Local and County Council elections.
This agreement will help us to continue shaping the future of Local Governments in both countries.
It will also, most importantly, allow us to continue being part of the democratic and civic process, which must be exercised and which can’t be taken for granted.

Apart from Poland, also Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg have reached an agreement with the British government. This is a hugely important step in ensuring that the ‘civic journey’ of EU nationals can continue and it can be developed further. However, this agreement covers only 2021 elections and therefore it is very important to pressure both governments to secure our voting rights in the future.