Greek Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos presented the final bill concerning the right of Greeks living abroad to vote at the plenary session of Parliament on Thursday evening.
The text, which included improvements on the original draft, was presented at the plenary session as part of the revision of the section of the Greek Constitution outlining exactly who has the right to vote in Greek elections.
Thedorikakos said that the proposed revision will use the length of time a Greek citizen has spent in Greece within a certain amount of years as a criterion for the right to vote.
In addition, a revision of Article 54 of the Constitution will allow for the designation of a number of the state deputy seats to be dedicated to Greeks who are living abroad.
The draft also included a provision for the establishment of one or more voting districts for diaspora Greeks.
Theodorikakos said that the position of ruling party New Democracy had been that all Greek citizens registered to vote in Greece should vote in their place of residence, through an absentee ballot.
However, he acknowledged that this option could not garner 200 votes, which would have been needed to pass; therefore the party has made a compromise, “allowing us to take a significant first step,” he said.
With information from AMNA
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