Law no. 459/2001 concerning the right to vote in a foreign country does not apply to the European elections, which are governed by Law No. 18 of 24 January 1979 and later amendments. The system of absentee voting therefore does not apply to the European elections: Italian voters eligible for this right and resident in European Union countries can go to the polls set up by the local Diplomatic and Consulate network.
Italian voters residing in a foreign country can also opt, within the timeframe foreseen by the law, to vote for candidates of their country of residence; they may also return to Italy, making use of special travel rates, to vote in the municipality where they have their residence.