One of the longest-standing unresolved political issues, the right of Greeks abroad to participate in elections, has gained new relevance recently, during a parliamentary debate in Greece, regarding legislation to change electoral divisions – and particularly to break the country’s largest electorate, that of the outer suburbs of Athens, into three divisions. The opposition proposed an amendment to the legislation (which also regulates municipal elections, linking them to the ones about the European Parliament), suggesting that every Greek citizen, registered in the electorate catalogues, should be able to vote at Greek embassy or consulate offices of their place of residency (the same right should be reserved for sailors, at the place where their ship is docked on election day).
This draft legislation was rejected by government MPs, leading Nea Dimokratia to issue a strongly worded statement, noting that this is the third time in two years that the opposition has raised the issue of voting rights for Greeks abroad, asking: “Is the government afraid of Greeks?”
The same accusation was expressed in parliament by Stavros Theodorakis, leader of the centrist party ‘To Potami’ (‘The River’), who submitted his own proposal in parliament, that includes provisions for a postal vote and an electronic vote for Greeks abroad, but also sees that these votes would add to the ones that each party would get throughout Greece, instead of being counted to specific electorate divisions.
Full Article: Voting rights for Greeks abroad take centrestage on political debate | Neos Kosmos.
