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Article: In Europe, a voting-rights debate; Belgium is considering a bill that would let noncitizen immigrants cast ballots in local elections.(WORLD)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- February 3, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Tom Vandyck Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
BRUSSELS -- In a roadside gas station 25 miles west of the Belgium capital, a handful of truckers are sipping hot coffee and loudly discussing politics.
"In the big cities, the immigrants already run the city councils," one of the men says, in a statement marked by equal parts of hyperbole and resentment. "Now that they are going to give them all the right to vote, they will take over the smaller towns, too. Pretty soon, we won't be the boss in our own country anymore."
Belgian plans to let noncitizen immigrants vote in local elections are fanning the latest controversy as Europe ...