Membership of a political party: EU Judgment in Cases C-808/21 and C-814/21

Tuesday 19th November

EU Judgment in Cases C-808/21 Commission v Czech Republic (Eligibility and membership of a political party) and C-814/21 Commission v Poland (Eligibility and membership of a political party)

(Citizenship of the Union)

Czech and Polish legislation confers the right to become a member of a political party solely on nationals. Consequently, according to the European Commission, citizens of the EU who reside in these Member States, but are not nationals of them, cannot exercise their right to stand as a candidate in municipal and European Parliament elections, enshrined in Union law, under the same conditions as Czech and Polish nationals.

The Commission took the view that such a refusal constitutes a difference in treatment based on nationality, which is prohibited by EU law. Under Article 22 TFEU, every Union citizen residing in a Member State of which they are not a national has the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in that Member State under the same conditions as nationals of that State.

On this basis, the Commission brought two actions for failure to fulfil obligations before the Court of Justice against the Czech Republic and Poland, respectively.

The action brought against the Czech Republic also extends to the prohibition on becoming a member of a political movement imposed on citizens of the Union who reside in that Member State and are not Czech nationals.

Background Documents C-808/21

Background Documents C-814/21

Dienstag, 19. November 2024

9.00 Uhr!

Urteile des Gerichtshofs (Große Kammer) in den Rechtssachen C-808/21 Kommission / Tschechische Republik und C‑814/21 Kommission / Polen

Politische Rechte von Unionsbürgern

Die Kommission hat gegen die Tschechische Republik und Polen Vertragsverletzungsklagen erhoben, weil in beiden Ländern nur die eigenen Staatsangehörigen Mitglied einer politischen Partei werden können. Dadurch werden nach Ansicht der Kommission andere Unionsbürger, die dort wohnen, aufgrund ihrer Staatsangehörigkeit diskriminiert. Sie könnten ihr passives Wahlrecht bei den Kommunal- und Europawahlen nämlich nicht unter den gleichen Bedingungen ausüben wie tschechische bzw. polnische Staatsbürger.

Generalanwalt Richard de la Tour hat in seinen Schlussanträgen vom 11. Januar 2024 dem Gerichtshof vorgeschlagen, den Klagen der Kommission stattzugeben (siehe Pressemitteilung Nr. 3/24).

Weitere Informationen C-808/21

Weitere Informationen C-814/21