The nature of the link with the country of origin may justify distinctions in the exercise of the right to vote between citizens residing abroad: thus national legislation may provide for a specific system of representation for those citizens no longer residing abroad temporarily but on a permanent basis. To ensure that this criterion is clearly defined, it would be preferable to specify the period of absence following which the right to vote is lost.  The period of "temporary" residence abroad should be the subject of specified criteria.  After a specific period of absence, it would nevertheless be preferable for the situation to be reconsidered, rather than for provision to be made for the right to vote to be purely and simply lost.