Proposed legislation on new electoral system to be tabled by week’s end

A proposal that Greece’s electoral system switch to one of proportional representation will be tabled in Parliament by the end of the week, government spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili said Monday adding that a vote on the bill should be held by July 10.

Gerovasili said that the bill put forward by the left-led government will take into consideration Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s recent talks with the leaders of all opposition parties represented in Parliament, with the exception of neofascist Golden Dawn.

Under the current system, the party that wins the general elections gains a 50-seat bonus. While this system has been credited with making it easier to form single-party governments, and therefore ensuring greater political stability, it has also been criticized for negating the need for politicians to seek common ground with rivals.

It was thought that the coalition might propose a reduction in the number of bonus seats awarded to the winning party as a way of compromise between the current system and proportional representation.

However, following his meetings with party leaders, Tsipras appears to favor not having any bonus for the election winner and employing proportional representation, which would mean each party’s share of seats in Parliament corresponding directly with its share of the vote.