Gov’t upbeat on prospects for consensus on diaspora vote

The government believes it will secure the backing of 200 MPs for its initiative to grant full voting rights to diaspora Greeks, sources indicated after the first session on Wednesday of a cross-party committee discussing the proposal.

Interior Minister Panagiotis Theodorikakos reportedly told the panel that an “overwhelming majority” want voting rights for Greeks living abroad, adding that the government’s only condition is the equality of each vote.

Center-left Movement for Change (KINAL) and nationalist Greek Solution are more closely aligned to New Democracy than the Communist Party, while SYRIZA wants a limit on diaspora MPs.