The Greek Interior Ministry has officially submitted a landmark bill to Parliament aimed at extending postal voting rights for Greeks abroad for national elections. The bill seeks to mirror the postal system successfully implemented during the most recent European Parliament elections.
A dedicated Greek abroad constituency
A key provision of the reform is the establishment of a single, global electoral district for Overseas Greeks, featuring three dedicated seats. Under this proposal, expatriates would no longer vote solely for the nationwide “State List” (Epikrateias).
Instead, they would cast ballots for a specific party and select candidates from a dedicated diaspora slate. The allocation of these three seats would be determined by each party’s total nationwide vote share—including overseas ballots—using the proportional system currently applied to three-seat constituencies in Greece.
The path to ratification
According to the Greek Constitution, these reforms require a two-thirds supermajority (200 votes) to take effect in the upcoming 2027 national elections.
Should the bill fail to reach this threshold, the current framework requiring physical presence at designated polling stations will remain in force for 2027, and the changes would only be implemented in the subsequent electoral cycle.
Next steps
The bill’s first reading is scheduled for a joint committee session on Thursday, February 19, at 13:00. A full plenary debate is expected during the first week of March.
Commenting on the initiative, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated:
“I believe this will be a historic achievement for Hellenism. I look forward to dynamic participation that will demonstrate the practical interest of the global Greek community in the political developments within Greece.”
Related: Greek Parliament Rejects Postal Voting for National Elections
