Can I vote in Luxembourg if I am not a Luxembourg national?
It depends on the election — and a recent reform changed everything for local polls. A foreign resident, whether an EU or a non-EU citizen, can vote in communal (local) elections and, if an EU citizen, in the European ones; by contrast, national (legislative) elections stay reserved for Luxembourg nationals. The big turning point: since a 2022 law, the 5-year residence condition for voting in communal elections has been scrapped. A foreigner can now register and vote as soon as they settle in the commune, provided they are 18, domiciled there and on the electoral roll before it closes. A detail that surprises many: in Luxembourg voting is compulsory, including for a foreigner once registered. The myth: "you need five years' residence to vote" — false since 2022: that clause has been abolished.
📋 The rules
- Communal elections open to foreigners: any foreign resident, EU or non-EU, can vote in communal elections.
- End of the 5-year rule: since a 2022 law, the 5-year residence condition for communal elections has been scrapped.
- Vote on settling: you need only be 18, domiciled in the commune and registered on the electoral roll before it closes.
- Not national elections: legislative elections remain reserved for Luxembourg nationals; the European ones are open to EU citizens.
- Compulsory voting: once registered, the voter — foreigners included — is required to vote, abstention without reason being in principle penalised.
🔓 Exceptions
- European elections: only EU citizens resident in the country can vote in the European elections; non-EU nationals are excluded.
- Registration by a deadline: registration on the roll must be done before a closing date ahead of the poll; miss it and you do not vote this time.
- Voluntary removal: a registered foreigner can ask to be struck off the roll, which frees them from the duty to vote in future.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The least-known sanction targets exactly the registered voter who does not vote. Because voting is compulsory in Luxembourg, abstention without a legitimate excuse can lead to a fine, heavier on repeat, even if prosecutions remain rare in practice. Conversely, believing the old 5-year rule still applies makes people miss a registration they were entitled to, and so lose their voice. Missing the roll's closing date bars voting for the whole election, with no catching up. Voting when not entitled, or in two countries in the same European election, is an electoral irregularity liable to sanctions. Finally, registering commits you: you cannot sign up "to see" and then ignore the poll without risk, the only clean exit being a voluntary removal from the roll.
📎 Official sources
- Elections.public.lu · voting eligibility conditions (official elections site) →
- Legilux · amended electoral law (2022 reform) →
- Guichet.lu · registering on the electoral roll (State portal) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can a foreigner vote in communal elections?
Yes, any foreign resident, whether an EU citizen or a non-EU national, can vote in Luxembourg's communal elections. They must be 18, domiciled in the commune and registered on the electoral roll before the closing date.
Do you still need five years' residence to vote locally?
No, that condition was scrapped by a 2022 law, and many sources are not up to date on this point. A foreign resident can now register and vote in communal elections as soon as they settle in the commune, without waiting five years of presence.
Can foreigners vote in national elections?
No, legislative, that is national, elections remain reserved for Luxembourg citizens. A foreign resident can take part only by acquiring nationality; they keep access to communal elections and, for EU citizens, to the European ones.
Is voting compulsory in Luxembourg?
Yes, voting is compulsory for every registered voter, including a foreigner who has voluntarily signed up on the roll. Abstention without a legitimate excuse can in principle be penalised by a fine, even though actual prosecutions remain infrequent.
How do you register to vote in communal elections?
Registration is done with your commune of residence, online or at the counter, before a closing date ahead of the poll. Once registered, the foreign voter is still required to vote, but can ask to be struck off the roll if they no longer wish to take part.
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