The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on Thursday that British nationals residing in the EU cannot participate in local elections in member states anymore as a result of Brexit.

“Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, British nationals who lost their European citizenship no longer have the right to vote or stand as a candidate in municipal elections in their member state of residence,” the top EU court’s press service said.

“This is an automatic consequence of the sole sovereign decision taken by the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union.”

The court explained that only the citizenship of an EU member state gives an individual the right to participate in local or European elections.

Those whose country left the EU cannot preserve this right, according to the ruling.

A British national, who is married to a French citizen and has lived in France since 1984, filed a lawsuit in 2020 after she was not allowed to re-register in the electoral list of the municipality of Thoux.

The UK left the EU after 47 years of membership on Jan. 31, 2020. (Anadolu Agency)