Left Party Calls for New Voting Rights for Foreigners in Germany
28th May 2026
Germany’s Left Party is calling for a major expansion of voting rights that would allow long-term foreign residents to participate in elections. The change would apply after five years of legal residence, regardless of nationality.
The proposal, submitted to the Bundestag, also urges cooperation between federal and state authorities to extend similar rights to regional and local elections.
The party argues that Germany faces a ‘democratic deficit,’ as millions of people who live, work, and pay taxes in the country remain excluded from political participation. According to figures cited in the proposal, around 14 million foreign nationals currently live in Germany, including roughly five million European Union citizens. Many have resided in the country for years, with the average length of stay estimated at around 15 years, yet still lack voting rights in most elections.
Easily fixed: Become citizens. If you’ve lived in a country for five years or more and you have made no effort to become a citizen, then you’re not committed enough to that country to be trusted with the vote. It’s just that simple.