In a significant and welcome development, Italy has taken a decisive step toward making democratic participation more accessible for persons with disabilities. As of the upcoming March 22–23 referendum, voters with intellectual disabilities and neurodevelopmental conditions can now rely on the European Disability Card as sufficient proof to receive assistance at polling stations, eliminating the need for burdensome medical certificates or administrative validation. For Autism-Europe, this milestone represents far more than an administrative simplification. It demonstrates how Member States can meaningfully expand the scope of EU instruments like the European Disability Card, transforming them from tools of mobility into instruments of fundamental rights, in that case, the right to political participation.
At the heart of this reform is the right to reasonable accommodation. As highlighted by Maurizio Borgo, President of Italy’s National Authority for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the right to vote for people with intellectual disabilities has long existed in law, but often remained difficult to exercise in practice. Seemingly small procedural barriers such as the inability to fold a ballot independently could lead to votes being invalidated due to strict secrecy rules. The requirement to obtain medical certification in advance further discouraged participation and created unnecessary stress.
By allowing the European Disability Card to serve as immediate and recognisable proof of entitlement to assistance, Italy has removed these barriers at the point where they matter most: inside the polling station. This transforms the voting experience from a bureaucratic challenge into a more accessible civic act. It also demonstrates how reasonable accommodations can be implemented in a simple, practical way that preserves both the integrity of the vote and the dignity of the voter.
This development aligns closely with findings from Autism-Europe’s recent submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on political participation of autistic people. Despite improvements across Europe, autistic people and persons with intellectual disabilities continue to face significant barriers in accessing their right to political participation.
Key challenges identified include:
- Limited awareness of the right to request reasonable accommodation
- Inaccessible voting procedures and environments
- Lack of accessible information (e.g. easy-to-read formats)
- Persistent stigma and assumptions about capacity
A positive example of the added value of the European disability card and how it can be used beyond its initial scope
The broader significance of this measure lies in what it reveals about the evolving role of the European Disability Card. Following the adoption of EU legislation in 2024, Member States are currently transposing the card into national law, with full implementation expected in the coming years. The card is intended to ensure mutual recognition of disability status across the EU, particularly during short stays, making it easier for people with disabilities, especially those with invisible disabilities, to access support without repeatedly having to justify their needs.
Autism-Europe welcomed this development as a major step towards freedom of movement for disabled EU citizens. However, as Italy has demonstrated, the potential of the card does not stop there. By using it to facilitate access to voting assistance, Italy has effectively extended its function into the realm of political rights. This goes beyond the minimum requirements of EU law, but remains fully aligned with its objectives and with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is a clear example of how Member States can use transposition as an opportunity to deepen inclusion rather than simply comply with legal obligations.
Transposition as opportunity, not just a formality
Across the EU, the transposition of the European Disability Card directive is progressing at different speeds. According to insights shared during a recent 2026 webinar organised by the European Disability Forum, consultations have taken place in only a subset of Member States, and approaches vary significantly.
This uneven landscape presents both a risk and an opportunity. The risk being that fragmented implementation could lead to inconsistent recognition of disability status and unequal access to rights. The opportunity of such a directive allowing for ambitious national transposition that can extend the card’s benefits into new areas of life.
Italy has clearly chosen the latter path. By integrating the card into electoral procedures, it has demonstrated how national authorities can use transposition not just to comply with EU law, but to advance inclusion in meaningful and innovative ways.
A positive step for the right to political participation: more progress remains to be done
For autistic people, the implications are particularly meaningful. Autism is often an invisible disability, and individuals frequently encounter situations where their support needs are questioned or misunderstood. The European Disability Card provides a clear and standardised way to communicate those needs, reducing the pressure to explain or justify oneself in stressful environments. In the context of voting, this can make a significant difference, lowering anxiety, facilitating access to assistance, and ultimately enabling and encouraging greater participation in democratic processes.
At the same time, this reform highlights that more remains to be done. In many countries, legal frameworks still limit assisted voting to people with visible physical disabilities, excluding those whose intellectual or neurodevelopmental conditions create barriers to voting. Expanding these provisions is a necessary next step. Equally important is the need to ensure that electoral information is accessible, that polling staff are adequately trained, and that broader pathways into political participation, such as standing for election, are open and inclusive.
Autism-Europe calls for continued efforts toward an ambitious implementation of the European Disability Card
Italy’s initiative therefore represents both a milestone and a starting point. As the European Disability Card continues to be rolled out across the EU, the key question will be how ambitiously it is implemented. Will it remain primarily a tool for facilitating travel, or will it become a more versatile instrument supporting access to a wide range of rights?
Italy has demonstrated that the card can play a role in strengthening democratic inclusion. Autism-Europe encourages other Member States to build on this example by ensuring that their national transposition processes are both timely and ambitious, minimising restrictions and exploring innovative applications that enhance participation in everyday life.
Ultimately, the significance of this reform lies in its broader message. Rights are not only defined by legislation, but by the systems that enable people to exercise them. By making voting more accessible in practice, Italy has taken an important step toward a more inclusive democracy in which autistic people and all persons with disabilities can participate fully and equally. If replicated across Europe, such measures could help close the gap between formal rights and lived experience, ensuring that political participation is not just guaranteed in principle, but realised in practice.