The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published today its conclusions on the implementation of its 2018 priority recommendations addressed to San Marino.
The first priority recommendation aimed at granting non-nationals residing in the country voting and eligibility rights in local elections, in accordance with the principles laid down in the Council of Europe’s Convention on the participation of foreigners in public life at local level. In its conclusions, ECRI welcomes that the right to vote in local elections is now granted by law to foreign nationals who have been residing in San Marino for at least 10 years. However, ECRI concludes that this recommendation has been partially implemented given that the legislation makes no provision for the right of foreign nationals residing in San Marino to stand in local elections and that the minimum period of 10 years of continuous residence required to be able to vote remains excessive.
ECRI’s second priority recommendation concerned the adoption of legislation governing same-sex relationships. ECRI notes with satisfaction that a law on civil partnerships was adopted in November 2018 and enables same-sex couples to obtain a form of legal recognition of their relationship that is equivalent to marriage in several areas. It therefore concludes that this recommendation was fully implemented.