In a bid to put an end to a debate that has dragged on for decades, the interior ministry has set in motion a process to give Greeks living abroad the right to vote in elections held in Greece, setting up an expert committee to discuss the various aspects involved.
The committee held its first meeting last Tuesday and is called to provide an opinion on three key issues: Who will be given the right to vote, who they can vote for and how they will vote.
Speaking to state-run A.M.N.A., a member of the committee said the first of these issues will be tackled at the next meeting while noting that this raised a number of thorny constitutional issues – such as whether there will be different treatment of those that have lived permanently abroad for more than a certain number of years.
The second question concerns whether those voting overseas will vote for the candidates standing in the electoral district where they are registered, state deputies or special ”overseas voters” candidates.
The third and possibly the simplest problem is whether Greeks abroad will be required to cast their vote at the nearest consulate or through a postal vote.
Deputy Foreign Minister for overseas Greeks, Terence Quick, expressed his personal satisfaction over the launch of this process and said that Greeks living abroad will have the right to vote in the next elections, providing the opposition does not “torpedo” the procedure.
(Source: A.M.N.A.)
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