An overwhelming number of deputies in Parliament, 288 out of 300, late Wednesday evening ratified a draft bill that finally allows eligible Greek citizens living abroad the right to vote in Greece's national elections from their place of residence.
The vote was not only historic in terms of the right it bestows to expatriate Greeks, but also for the rare consensus shown by parties represented in the legislature, a product of nearly three months of intense deliberations between the Mitsotakis government and the opposition and numerous compromises before the final text was tabled on Parliament's floor.
Of the 296 MPs present during the vote, seven voted against, one MP declared "present". Votes in favor were cast by main opposition SYRIZA's MPs, reversing previous qualms and criticism by the radical leftist party that was in government until July 2019.
Conversely, seven MPs of Yanis Varoufakis' small far-left Mera25 voted against, including the former, with the reasoning that the legislation excluded numerous ethnic Greeks that emigrated more than three decades from the country, among others.
Giving Greek citizens the right to vote from abroad had been a key pledge by the ruling New Democracy (ND).
While not foreseeing a letter vote, eligible citizens will have the right to cast their ballot at embassies and consulates, and possibly at other institutions. Eligibility in this case means people that are still registered on election polls and with some economic activity in the country, such as owning property and paying taxes for the property, an active tax code number etc.
Speaking on a radio program on Thursday morning, Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos referred to the tough negotiations with opposition parties and the compromises accepted by the government in order to exceed the 200-MP number needed to pass the bill.
Theodorikakos said he was repeatedly asked whether the "glass was half full, or half empty? My answer is that there's water there. If we didn't vote (for this bill), we wouldn't have a drop."
