Sept/Oct 2013 Aff Counters No Threat to Personal Liberty foundationbriefs.com Page 75 of 104 Abstract compulsion is enough to spur turnout and political involvement, DAT 9/10 am Malkopoulou, Anthoula. Lost Voters Participation in EU Elections and the Case for Compulsory Voting Center for European Policy Studies (July 2009). In
Cyprus and Luxembourg,
the fines are higher, but there is
little evidence of enforcement, with no single prosecution ever being reported in Luxembourg. Abstainers are asked to pay a maximum of CYP200 (approx.
€342) (Election Law, 1979) and €1,000 respectively (Election Law, 2003).
Among other reasons, non- punishment results from the unpopular and disproportionately high fines and the cumbersome administration of their collection. In the latest discussion over the issue in 2008, the Cypriot Parliament decided to replace the judicial route of punishment
with a direct and simple fine, in order to make prosecution more realisable (Politis,
2008).
Despite this lax application, participation levels are extremely high in both countries around 80 Share with your friends: 
