NewsWorldLegislative elections in Monaco: what is at stake in the European principality?

Legislative elections in Monaco: what is at stake in the European principality?

Monegasques vote this Sunday to elect the National Council, Monaco’s parliament. The second smallest state in the world after the Vatican is a hereditary and constitutional monarchy in which legislative power is exercised jointly by Prince Albert II and the National Council.

How is the National Council of Monaco organized?

Also called the Monegasque Assembly, the unicameral Parliament of the Principality is made up of 24 members elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term. It is the main representative body of the population, votes on the laws proposed by the Government. It is currently chaired by Brigitte Boccone-Pagès.

Who votes?

Of the approximately 38,000 inhabitants of the small principality of 2.02 km², located on the Côte d’Azur and 30 kilometers from Italy, only 20% have the right to vote. There are about 7,600 voters who meet two conditions: be at least 25 years old and be of Monegasque nationality.

How are the elections held?

The National Council is elected by a one-round mixed vote that grants 16 seats to the majority list. The eight remaining seats are distributed proportionally among the lists that have obtained more than 5% of the votes.

What is in game?

The councilors vote on the laws and the budget, but they cannot question the political responsibility of the government or overthrow it, since the executive only answers to Albert II, the sovereign prince.

According to Thierry Brezzo, from the Monegasque National Union list, the main issues at stake in this next legislature are:

  • The signing of a possible association agreement with the European Union
  • The preservation of the Monegasque model and its specificities: “If the priority in contracting, housing, the conditions of access to public contracts or certain regulated professions are not preserved, it is the entire Monegasque social pact that would be in question”, warns the lawyer.

How many lists are on the ballot?

Two lists are presented to these elections, the Union Nationale Monegasque (UNM) and New Ideas for Monaco (NIM).

In the role of favorite is the UNM, with 13 outgoing deputies headed by Brigitte Boccone-Pagès, a 63-year-old former teacher and the first woman elected President of the National Council since its creation in 1911.

In opposition, the NIM coalition, led by the current rector of the Council, Daniel Boéri, 78, a former member of the majority. At the head of a list with only 14 elements, Boéri admits that he had “difficulties” to recreate the candidacies, due to “extraordinary pressure.” He hopes to distinguish himself by the “vision” he proposes, although he admits that these two lists “can’t be said to have ideological distinctions, but rather philosophical ones.”

What is the link between Monaco and Europe?

Like Andorra and San Marino, Monaco has been in negotiations with the EU since March 2015 to sign an association agreement. The aim is to make life easier for citizens and businesses in the European internal market. The biggest challenge is increasing Monaco’s economic attractiveness.

The agreement would eliminate, for example, the obstacles encountered by Monegasque economic agents in accessing the European internal market, guaranteeing greater legal certainty in commercial operations. According to the Monegasque government, an understanding with Brussels would also allow Monegasques to move more easily within the European Union and students to attend European universities at no additional cost.

However, the National Council has set limits to negotiation, imposing rules on maintaining national preference in all areas, maintaining exclusive access for nationals to social housing, exclusive access for Monegasques to certain professions, the mandatory prior authorization for residents and companies to settle in Monegasque territory and the maintenance of the declarative regime for Monegasques.

In a press release issued in the summer of 2022, the Monaco National Council indicated that talks were continuing. “with a view to concluding negotiations on a possible association agreement by the end of 2023.” This is also the wish of the Council of the European Union. The pace of the negotiations is expected to accelerate with a monthly meeting between the two parties.

If an agreement is reached, Monaco will have the status of “associated state” of the European Union.

Source: Euronews Español

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