Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Gerapetritis and Minister of Interior Niki Kerameus held a meeting with the heads of diplomatic and consular authorities around the world on postal voting for the Greek diaspora.
On Thursday, February 29, Minister Gerapetritis and Minister Kerameus engaged in a teleconference with the Heads of Greece’s Missions abroad, providing a comprehensive overview of postal voting procedures.
The briefing aimed to equip diplomatic and consular authorities with the necessary information to assist Greek citizens residing abroad in exercising their voting rights in the upcoming European elections scheduled for June 9.
This occasion marks the realisation of a longstanding aspiration of Greeks worldwide, granting them the opportunity to participate in elections without the need to travel to Greece or its diplomatic missions, often located far from their places of residence.
For the first time in Greek history, residents abroad will exclusively utilise postal voting for the European elections. The recently launched online registration platform, epistoliki.ypes.gov.gr, facilitates registration up to 40 days prior to the elections, streamlining the process for interested individuals.
Detailed guidelines are available on the official websites of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, while in-person registration at Consular Authorities remains an option.
Minister Gerapetritis emphasised the significance of this milestone, stressing the crucial role of diplomatic missions in ensuring the success of the electoral process. He highlighted the importance of embracing a new mindset towards voting, underscoring its relevance to all European citizens, irrespective of their place of residence.
Minister Kerameus expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diplomatic and Consular Authorities for their pivotal contributions to the postal voting initiative. Their efforts in disseminating information and supporting voter registration were acknowledged as essential pillars of the project’s success.
The teleconference, attended by Deputy Minister of Interior Theodoros Livanios and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Kotsiras, signifies a collaborative effort between government entities to promote democratic participation among Greek citizens worldwide.
Surge in registration for postal voting
The latest statistics reveal a surge in registrations for postal voting among Greek expatriates. According to official data released by the Greek government, a total of 20,835 individuals have registered for postal voting worldwide until Sunday.
Of this figure, 12,706 registrations originate from within Greece itself, representing 61.0% of the total registrations.
However, it is the Greek diaspora outside the borders of Greece that has demonstrated considerable enthusiasm for exercising their democratic rights remotely. A total of 8,129 registrations have been recorded from expatriates living abroad, constituting 39.0% of the overall registrations.
Delving deeper into the breakdown of registrations outside Greece, it is evident that Europe boasts the highest number of registrations, with 7,091 expatriates signing up for postal voting, accounting for 87.2% of registrations outside Greece.
Meanwhile, Greek communities in North and Central America, Asia, Africa, and South America have also participated in the postal voting registration process, albeit to a lesser extent.
Only 111 individuals have registered for postal voting from Oceania, comprising Australia and New Zealand. However, officials anticipate this number to increase following the upcoming visit of Deputy Minister of Interior, Theodoros Livanios to Australia.
Source: mfa.gr.
