Can he? In general, can/do popes vote in their home countries?

  • ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    Argentina is the country whose citizenship you cannot legally lose (though dual citizenship is permitted), and they have mandatory* voting. So the Pope is still a citizen of Argentina and did vote or faced charges. I don’t think they allow exceptions.

    * Edit: Not quite true. See replies.

    • Nibodhika@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Correction, voting is mandatory only for people who live in Argentina, if you live on another country voting is optional. Source: I’m an Argentinian who lives in another country.

    • Bayta@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It is possible to vote while outside the country by going to designated embassies but if you live outside of the country or are further away than 500km from your legal residence the day of the vote you are not obligated to vote. Also, a lot of people (above 20% on the last election) that should vote don’t despite it being mandatory since that law is pretty much never enforced in practice. Source: I’m Argentinean.

    • LegionEris [she/her]@feddit.nl
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      1 year ago

      This is fascinating. Assuming he follows the law of the land per the Bible (per my minimal understanding of the Bible…) he would be sinning to note vote. So the pope most likely voted by absentee ballot in Argentina, but also likely has diplomatic immunity in Argentina, and therefore could not be prosecuted for failure to vote.

      • ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        I don’t think you are eligible for diplomatic immunity if you are a citizen. He might choose not to extradite himself but he plans a visit in 2024.

        I think he either voted for Sérgio Massa, whom he supported publicly, or symbolically cast a blank ballot. The other options are to declare that he was ill or 500 km from the nearest polling place, or pay a 50-500 peso fine. None of these are off-limits for somebody with a good diplomatic position and a large amount of staff.

        • DasRundeEtwas@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          Iven if he can’t get true diplomatic immunity, I don’t think Argentina would trouble a foreign monarch over a 500 peso fine, even if he came back into the country.

          • probablyaCat@kbin.social
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            1 year ago

            Not even just a foreign monarch. The pope. In a country with a lot of Catholics. Imagine them trying to arrest the pope. Likely even the police and military would revolt. But you did give me a great idea for an ai image prompt!

          • ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            Yes. I just listed the legal options I found. The law and its enforcement are different things: most domestic non-voters are not punished either, and they are likely going to let him pass even without a formal excuse; it would harm their reputation to be that petty.

        • Nibodhika@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          He can also just not vote, he’s an Argentinian living in another country (just like me) so voting is optional for him.

          • ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            The law is apparently old and not enforced. The other consequence is that offenders cannot run for office for 3 years but I doubt they check every municipal candidate. I imagune it could turn up as a minor affair, though.

          • ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            No, I’m too ugly. AI says I look like this and I’m not much prettier IRL. But the number of fake (hidden fee) taxis, Fake Taxis and fake Fake Taxis is larger than the number of honest taxis.