The Greek government is preparing a new electoral reform aimed at expanding political participation for Greeks living abroad, building on the recent introduction of postal voting in European Parliament elections and taking it further for national elections.
A New Diaspora Electoral District
According to Protagon.gr, the Ministry of Interior, led by Minister Thodoris Livanios, is drafting legislation expected to be submitted before Easter 2026 that would not only introduce postal voting for national elections, but also create a distinct electoral district for overseas Greeks.
Under the proposal:
- Greeks living abroad would have their own special ballot roll separate from the domestic constituencies.
- For the first time, they could elect representatives directly, instead of being included indirectly on party lists via the nationwide State Ballot.
The plan envisages a single global ballot for the diaspora, where expatriate voters could choose between candidates from around the world — for example, a Greek in the USA could vote for a candidate based in Australia or Europe.
Three Parliamentary Seats for the Diaspora
The draft legislation reportedly proposes three seats in the Hellenic Parliament specifically for the Greek diaspora, forming a “Diaspora constituency.” These seats would be carved out of the existing total of 300 parliamentary seats without altering Greece’s internal electoral districts — a move that raises constitutional questions and would require careful legislative design.
To implement this change in the very next national election, it would require an enhanced parliamentary majority of 200 votes. If such a majority is not secured, the new system would apply to the following election cycle.
Postal Voting for National Elections
In addition to the diaspora constituency, the government plans to extend postal voting — which was used for Greeks abroad in the European Parliament elections — to include all voters in national elections, including those residing in Greece. The government argues that the postal voting system worked well in the European context, increasing participation without serious problems.
Political Reactions
Opposition parties have raised concerns about postal voting, warning that it could make it harder to guarantee the secrecy of the ballot and increase the risk of errors or irregularities during transport and counting.
However, the government believes there is significant political support for its proposal, noting that apart from the ruling New Democracy (ND), parties such as SYRIZA, PASOK and the Communist Party (KKE) also receive notable support from Greeks abroad — making outright rejection politically difficult.
A Long‑Standing Challenge
The article concludes that enhancing the political participation of the Greek diaspora has been a decades‑long issue for Greece’s political system. The government now aims to bring this ambition closer to reality by institutionalizing direct representation and broader voting rights.
Source: pagenews.gr