Greek Parliament approves sweeping reform to local elections, abolishes run-off voting
The Greek Parliament has approved a new Local Government Code that abolishes the second round of municipal and regional elections, introducing a preferential voting system aimed at determining winners in a single electoral process.
Under the new legislation, voters will be able to indicate both a first and a second preference on the same ballot. If no candidate secures the required 42% threshold in the initial count, second-preference votes from eliminated candidates will be redistributed to the two leading contenders, eliminating the need for a separate run-off election.
The reform, proposed by the Ministry of Interior, was approved with the votes of the governing New Democracy party, while opposition parties voted against the bill.
The government argues that the new system will reduce election costs, improve voter participation and streamline the electoral process. Opposition parties, however, have criticized the reform, claiming it was introduced without broad political consensus and could affect democratic representation.
The new Local Government Code also consolidates hundreds of existing provisions governing municipalities and regional administrations into a single legislative framework.
