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Politics168 words1 min read

Madrid's Voter List for Spaniards Abroad Grows Fast

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More people from Madrid who live in other countries are joining the electoral roll. This list grows two times faster than the list for all of Spain.

The electoral roll is a list of people who can vote in elections. In Spain, some people live outside the country. They are called residents abroad.

The Spanish government wants a court to stop a new rule. This rule is about the grandchildren law. It gives Spanish nationality to some grandchildren of Spanish people.

The government wants the Constitutional Court to look at this rule fast. This court decides if laws follow the Spanish constitution.

There is also a discussion about voting. In some countries, like Ireland and Denmark, people who live outside cannot vote in elections. Some people in Spain talk about this rule too.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has spoken about democracy before. Now people ask if countries like Ireland and Denmark are real democracies, because they do not let all citizens vote from abroad.

Vocabulary6 words

electoral roll
a list of people who can vote
residents abroad
people who live in another country
grandchildren law
a rule about giving nationality to grandchildren
Constitutional Court
a court that checks if laws are legal
constitution
the main rules of a country
democracy
a system where people vote for leaders

Quiz

1. What is growing twice as fast in Madrid compared to Spain?
2. What is the 'grandchildren law' about?
3. True or False: In Ireland and Denmark, all citizens abroad can vote.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

More people from Madrid who live in other countries are joining the _____. This list grows two times faster than the list for all of Spain.

The electoral roll is a list of people who can _____ in elections.

The Spanish government wants a _____ to stop a new rule.

This rule is about the _____ law.

The government wants the Constitutional Court to look at this rule _____.

In some countries, like Ireland and Denmark, people who live _____ cannot vote in elections.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has spoken about _____ before.

Now people ask if countries like Ireland and Denmark are real _____.

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