2026 local elections: EU citizens are also eligible to vote

The participation of EU citizens in local elections in Germany is a result of European integration and was introduced by the Maastricht Treaty as part of the idea of a ‘Europe of citizens’. The legal basis for this is the 1994 EU Directive, which had to be transposed into national law in Germany by the end of 1995. Certain leeway allowed the federal states to regulate voting rights for EU citizens individually.
In Bavaria, EU citizens are included in the electoral register in the same way as German citizens and are subject to the same eligibility requirements.

To be eligible to vote, EU citizens must be at least 18 years of age, have been resident in the municipality or district for at least three months and not be expressly excluded from voting. Anyone who wishes to stand as a candidate for the municipal council must have been resident in the municipality for at least six months, be 18 years of age and also be eligible to vote. However, only German citizens may become mayor or district administrator in Bavaria – the EU directive allows member states to reserve senior executive positions for their own citizens.

Although EU citizens are formally allowed to vote, their voter turnout in Germany is estimated at only 20–30 percent. The reasons for this lie primarily in a lack of information: Many EU citizens do not know that they can participate in local elections.

This is precisely where the appeal comes in: anyone who lives, works, pays taxes and perhaps has children in school or kindergarten in Grasbrunn should exercise their right to have a say. Local elections directly affect everyday life – from transport and housing to schools and leisure activities to environmental and construction projects.

In Grasbrunn, two mayoral candidates and five local council lists with a total of 20 seats are up for election in the local elections. All the major parties – the Greens, CSU, SPD, Free Voters and FDP – have drawn up their lists. This gives EU citizens the opportunity to actively participate in deciding the composition of the local council and the political orientation of the municipality.

Sonderseite zur Kommunalwahl 2026 bei Grasbrunn Aktuell, where you can find all the local parties and their programmes and candidates for the local council, as well as two interviews with the mayoral candidates Sebastian Stüwe (independent, CSU + FWG) and Andreas Ziegler (SPD).

Election notifications will be sent out by 15 February 2026 at the latest. These will indicate where the election will take place locally or how to apply for a postal vote. If you do not receive your notification, you should contact the local council administration as soon as possible. This will ensure that nothing stands in the way of you voting – and it is a practical way to help shape your own environment.

Anyone who has still not received their election notification letter by 16 February should contact the Grasbrunn municipal election office by telephone on 089 461002-0 or by email
or the election office of their respective municipality.

On 23 February 2026 at 7:30 p.m., the vhs Vaterstetten is also offering a workshop on the 2026 local elections, during which Paul Gaedtke, lecturer in history and politics at various educational institutions, will answer all questions relating to the local elections.

In short: anyone who is an EU citizen in Grasbrunn is eligible to vote – and should exercise this right. By voting in the local elections, you can actively contribute to how the community develops in the coming years and which projects, initiatives and decisions are implemented in everyday life locally. You have the right to vote – so go out and vote!

Featured image by FreePik