Immigrants vote in 2010 Municipal Elections

The much awaited immigrants’ participation in municipal elections is a fact, following a new legislative amendment passed by the government.
According to an interior ministry circular, all eligible immigrants can register untilAugust 31 2010– the previous deadline was June 30 – at their local municipality’s election office should they want to vote in the upcoming ballot on November 14. Interior Minister Yiannis Ragousis stressed that “the participation of legally residing, long-term residents is a historic event.” 
About the procedure and the eligibility criteria: Ministry of the Interior (in Greek)
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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International Media on Greece

 

 

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) In their article “Can Greece lead the way” (9.11.2009) for “openDemocracy,” Anthony Barnett and Mary Kaldor write about the fact that though the left across Europe flounders in the wake of the economic crisis – where the centre right is resurgent – the Greek socialist party under George Papandreou could prove the exception with its dramatic election victory.    
They argue that Papandreou’s goal is an innovative form of progressive government that combines green development, democratic openness, and international reconciliation.
“Papandreou is an exceptionally original and open-minded politician, wishing to lead both Greece and PASOK towards a genuinely far-sighted response to the financial and environmental crisis and the international challenges facing Europe.”

Greece: Parliamentary Election, October 4

New Mandate

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Seeking a fresh mandate, Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis announced on September 2 an early parliamentary election for October 4.  The convocation of the new Parliament in regular session is to be held on October 14. After the elections, the President of the Republic shall appoint the Prime Minister and on his recommendation shall appoint the other members of the Cabinet and the Deputy Ministers.

Electoral Process

The electoral process is regulated by the 1975 Greek Constitution (revised in 2001), as well as relevant electoral legislation, recently codified by presidential decree 96/2007.   The Greek Parliament is composed of a single chamber, with 300 members elected for a four-year term. 288 of the 300 deputies are elected from 56 constituencies, while the remaining 12 State Deputies seats are allocated on a top-down basis, according to the total share of the vote each party receives.

The leader of the party having the absolute majority of seats in Parliament is appointed Prime Minister.   If no party has the absolute majority, the President of the Republic gives the leader of the party with a relative majority an exploratory mandate in order to ascertain the possibility of forming a government enjoying the confidence of the Parliament.   If this possibility cannot be ascertained, the President of the Republic gives the exploratory mandate to the leader of the second largest party in Parliament, and if this proves to be unsuccessful, to the leader of the third largest party in Parliament.   Each exploratory mandate is in force for three days. If all exploratory mandates prove to be unsuccessful, the President of the Republic summons all party leaders, and if the impossibility to form a Cabinet enjoying the confidence of the Parliament is confirmed, s/he attempts to form a Cabinet composed of all parties in Parliament for the purpose of holding parliamentary elections anew.

Voting System

Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected by direct, universal and secret ballot.   The electoral law 3231/2004 is more proportional than ever before, and retains the so-called “3% threshold” provision that any single party must receive nationwide in order to be represented in Parliament.

A premium of 40 parliamentary seats is allocated directly to the “first past the post” party or coalition of parties.   The remaining 260 seats are distributed proportionally, according to each party’s total share of the vote. A rather complex set of rules deals with rounding decimal results up or down and ensures that the smaller a constituency is, the more strictly proportional its parliamentary representation will be.

Public Opinion Polls

According to recent legislation (“Opinion Polls” Law 3603/2007), the publication or broadcasting of public opinion polls on voting intentions is prohibited in the last 15 days prior to Election Day, which is always on a Sunday.  Exit Polls are allowed on Election Day, but results can only become public after polls close.

Electoral Body

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 9,835,007 (5,076,727 women, 4,758,280 men) citizens have the right to vote, while 245,866 people will vote for the first time.  All Greek citizens who are 18 years or over on the date of the election have the right to vote, provided they are on the electoral register and have the legal capacity to vote.

Zappeion Press Centre

A special Elections Press Centre is set up by the Secretariat General of Information at the Zappeion Hall, one of the outstanding memorial edifices in Athens.  Zappeion, a conference and exhibition facility, is in central Athens, in an extension of the National Park near the Parliament building, Syntagma (Constitution) Square, the Presidential Mansion, and the Maximos Mansion, which houses the offices of the Prime Minister.   Secretariat General of Information: National Elections 2009 – Media Informatio-Accreditation

Election Results Website

Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization website: National Elections, will be updated to reflect the results of the election to be held on October 4, 2009.

ELECTION BACKGROUND INFO – LINKS

Supreme Court of Civil and Penal Law:

Political Parties Taking Part in the National Elections 2009

Ministry of Interior

Elections Information

Previous Elections Results (2004 – 2009):

EU Election Results 2009 National Elections Results 2007

EU Elections Results 2004 National Elections Results 2004

Greece: Snap Elections for October 4

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis on Wednesday called an early general election. In a televised address Karamanlis underlined the need for immediate structural reforms and measures to deal with the repercussions of the international economic crisis and what he called decades-old problems of the domestic economy and public sector. He said that strict fiscal discipline, a “war” on tax evasion and long-due structural reforms are imperative. However, as he pointed out, reforms necessitate a fresh mandate which will secure a stable political environment. Leader of the main opposition party, George Papandreou greeted the PM’s decision, calling for a “new beginning” and pointing out that the country’s economic problems where the fault of the government and could not be attributed to the global financial crisis. Secretariat General of Information – About Greece: Political System and Elections in Greece