Postal vote ‘changes the landscape’ for voters, enhances democracy, Marinakis says

With the passing of the law in Parliament on Wednesday, he added, Greeks abroad and at home will be able to participate in the European elections with a postal vote, while he stressed that this was passed with the exclusive support of ruling New Democracy MPs. He also suggested that the "initial consensus" by main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance and opposition PASOK-KINAL had not been genuine, as they finally withdrew their backing for the bill.

The new law allowing postal votes “changes the landscape in the vote of overseas Greeks but also the landscape for voters in Greece,” government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis commented on Thursday, during a press briefing in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. “It is a major and effective move for boosting participation in the electoral process,” Marinakis said, while noting that greater participation will also lead to an increase and expansion of democracy, which thus becomes more representative. With the passing of the law in Parliament on Wednesday, he added, Greeks abroad and at home will be able to participate in the European elections with a postal vote, while he stressed that this was passed with the exclusive support of ruling New Democracy MPs. He also suggested that the “initial consensus” by main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance and opposition PASOK-KINAL had not been genuine, as they finally withdrew their backing for the bill.

Regarding the amendment that would also extend postal voting rights to the general elections for Greeks abroad, he said this will be resubmitted after the European elections. Commenting on the bill for equality in civil marriage for same-sex couples, which was unveiled for public consultation, Marinakis said that this introduces equality regardless of sexual orientation and protects the interests of children by regulating family law issues concerning same-sex couples. “It constitutes an implementation of the national strategy for LGBTQI+ equality that was included in ND’s programme of government,” he pointed out, noting that equality in marriage has been adopted by 36 countries throughout the world, of which 20 are in Europe. He noted that this automatically leads to an application of laws on family and adoption, adopted by 39 countries worldwide, including 23 in Europe and 16 in the EU.

He clarified that the bill does not extend the right to medically assisted reproduction to couples of gay men or unmarried couples, nor those joined by a civil partnership agreement. Marinakis also spoke about the other bills discussed during Wednesday’s cabinet meeting chaired by the prime minister, such as draft legislation on courts to speed up delivery of justice, legislation on the 2024-2027 strategic plan for Diaspora Greeks and the digital services market. He concluded the briefing with issues concerning Thessaloniki, such as the new bus drivers and the purchase of new buses for the city’s public transport service OASTh, to help ease the city’s traffic issues, as well as the holding of tenders for 14 new healthcare facilities dealing with mental health issues throughout Greece, as part of a mental health reform. Marinakis announced that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will address Parliament on Friday, to answer a question put by the head of the opposition Nea Aristera parliamentary group on the reconstruction of flood-stricken Thessaly.