Changes to electoral law to be put to vote by February

A government proposal to introduce a system of simple proportional representation for local elections is set to be put to a parliamentary vote by February, Kathimerini has learned.

Plans to change the electoral system have met with opposition from Greek mayors.

A poll conducted earlier this year showed that over 60 percent of mayors think the change will seriously undermine decision making.

“Imposing simple proportional representation for local elections would be suicidal,” Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris told Kathimerini.

“It will make municipalities ungovernable. Every little thing will become the subject of horse trading,” he said. 

The system would mean that the number of seats each party gets on the council would be based directly on their share of the vote.