Greek Government Moves to Introduce Postal Voting for Diaspora

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presented a wide-ranging package of legislative initiatives during a Cabinet meeting held under his chairmanship, outlining reforms that span voting rights for Greeks abroad, public administration, housing, social cohesion, healthcare, energy, and digital governance.

Among the most significant announcements, the government proposed the creation of a three-seat electoral district for the Greek diaspora, alongside the introduction of postal voting for Greek citizens residing outside the country.

Interior Minister Theodoros Livanios presented the draft bill titled “Establishment of an Electoral District for the Greek Diaspora and Facilitation of Voting Rights for Voters Outside the Territory.” The bill introduces two key reforms: postal voting exclusively for voters abroad and the establishment of a dedicated diaspora electoral district with three parliamentary seats.

The government submitted the proposal for postal voting in parliamentary elections following the successful implementation of postal voting in the 2024 European elections. Officials stressed that the experience demonstrated Greece’s ability to enable Greeks abroad to exercise their electoral rights from their place of residence, strengthening their ties with the homeland.

If opposition parties support the initiative and secure the required two-thirds parliamentary majority, postal voting for Greeks abroad could apply as early as the 2027 national elections, in line with Article 51 of the Constitution. If the necessary majority does not materialize, the current framework—requiring in-person voting at overseas polling stations—will remain in force.

The proposed three-seat diaspora electoral district would allow Greeks living abroad to elect their own representatives to Parliament. Should the bill fail to receive the required constitutional majority, the provision would take effect in the elections following 2027, in accordance with Article 54 of the Constitution. The allocation of the three seats would follow the same method applied in other three-seat constituencies, such as Argolida, Laconia, Arcadia, and Boeotia, and would factor into the nationwide vote tally.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Kostis Hatzidakis also presented a package of anti-bureaucracy reformsaimed at creating a more citizen-friendly state. The initiative builds on previous digital transformation efforts, including faster pension processing, the integration of OPEKEPE into the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, reforms at the Hellenic Railways Organization, and the rollout of the Digital Work Card in the public sector.

The reforms draw on recommendations from the Greek Ombudsman, proposals by MPs, and citizen feedback collected through questionnaires in 2025. Measures include replacing documents already held by public authorities with sworn declarations, limiting state claims on private property when court rulings offer no realistic prospect of success, and expanding the certified professionals model used by EFKA to other administrative areas, such as agricultural subsidies.

On housing and social cohesion, National Economy and Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis and Social Cohesion and Family Minister Domna-Maria Michailidou presented initiatives to address affordability pressures. The government plans to refund two months’ rent, without income criteria, to teachers, doctors, and nurses who rent housing outside Attica and Thessaloniki, benefiting an estimated 50,000 public sector employees.

The Cabinet also approved tighter restrictions on short-term rentals in Thessaloniki’s First Municipal District, aligning them with existing limits in central Athens. Properties transferred under any cause in restricted zones will automatically be removed from the short-term rental registry and barred from re-registration for the duration of the restriction.

A new “Build to Rent” program aims to expand affordable housing supply by encouraging companies to construct or convert properties exclusively for long-term rental of at least ten years, with tax incentives linked to rental income.

Additional legislative chapters modernize the framework for social care providers, introduce a unified regulation for disability benefits, expand the Personal Assistant program for people with disabilities, establish new disability registries, and extend relocation incentives from Evros to other border regions.

Alternate Finance Minister Nikos Papathanasis presented legislation establishing the framework for Greece’s participation in the Social Climate Fund and the Modernisation Fund, enabling the use of EU resources to support the green transition while addressing energy poverty and social inequalities through a unified special service.

Reforms to the public sector leadership selection process also featured prominently. The Interior Ministry proposed a faster, digitized system that places greater emphasis on leadership skills and administrative competence, addressing delays, inconsistencies, and the absence of a unified digital platform under the current model.

Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis and Deputy Minister Dimitris Vartzopoulos presented a bill establishing a Pharmaceutical Innovation Fund and improving healthcare services. The bill addresses access to innovative therapies, pharmaceutical shortages, digital assistants for patients and doctors, stricter controls on tobacco and alcohol access, oncology patient apps, and the creation of national observatories for psychotherapy and forensic psychiatry.

Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou outlined reforms to modernize renewable energy legislation by transposing key EU directives. The measures aim to accelerate licensing for renewable projects, strengthen safeguards against greenwashing, promote renewable fuels in transport and industry, and advance Greece’s energy transition targets through 2030 and beyond.

Finally, Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou presented legislation establishing a Unified Digital Infrastructure for Citizen and Business Services, reinforcing the “once-only” principle, improving interoperability with EU systems, reducing administrative burden, and enhancing Gov.gr’s back-end ecosystem to streamline public services and cut bureaucracy.