Greece to test postal voting in EU elections for the first time

The centre-right ruling New Democracy party (EPP) announced on Thursday that it will allow the possibility of postal voting for the first time in the June 2024 EU elections.

In a surprising move, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told his cabinet that in early 2024, the government will submit a bill providing the possibility for citizens inside or outside the country to vote via post.

The Greek leader also hinted that this may apply to the next national elections.

It is the first time that postal voting will be allowed in Greece.

Greek citizens living abroad and special categories of local residents, such as seasonal workers or disabled people, will be entitled to postal voting.

According to the news website News247, this move seems to be strengthening the participation of Greeks living abroad, as the ruling party considers it has a lead in this particular electoral category.

“The disappointing turnout of expatriates in national elections […] appears to have played a role in the decision to try postal voting”, the website commented.

The opposition parties, though, did not see the move positively.

Notably, the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok – PES) stated that it needs “safeguards” regarding the process that will be followed and that no consultation with other parties took place, contrary to what the PM said in the recent past.

Pasok noted that in July, Mitsotakis told the Greek Parliament, “We will certainly not be ready before the EU elections for such a step [postal voting], but if we find that there is willingness from parties and we can reach 200 votes, we are technically ready to start this discussion and, why not, before the next national elections to complete it”.

The communist party and right-wing Greek solution also opposed the announcement.

The main opposition leftist Syriza party will adopt a “wait and see” approach pending the bill’s details.

The leftist party has its reasons not to oppose the upcoming bill.

The ruling party sees electoral opportunities from postal voting considering expatriates’ conservative beliefs – especially the ones who have left Greece for decades; however, Syriza is willing to take advantage of the new process within Greece.

Seasonal workers in the tourist sector, mainly young people, have so far been unable to vote, and analysts estimate that most of them tend to vote for Syriza.

Moreover, the newly elected Syriza leader, Stefanos Kasselakis, was a US resident before he took over the party’s leadership and believed he could mobilise voters living abroad.

(Sarantis Michalopoulos | Euractiv.com)

Read more with EURACTIV