Global Courant 2023-05-21 17:45:44
Parliamentary elections are being held today in Greece, while 9,810,040 citizens are expected to turn to the ballot boxes today.
Up to this moment, the participation in the voting is 31.52%, while all the presidents of the running parties have voted.
The Greek Ministry of the Interior stated that the voting process started with the diaspora, where 16,827 Greeks living abroad and who had expressed their desire to vote, went to the ballot boxes in embassies, schools and businesses.
Ballot boxes and electoral materials distributed in 35 different countries of the world arrived in the early hours of the morning in Athens where they will be counted once the counting procedure starts.
As for the votes within the country, the Ministry of the Interior stated that all 21,529 voting centers were opened normally. 400,000 citizens will turn to the boxes for the first time, while this year 17-year-olds are also voting.
Voting is mandatory for all persons up to the age of 70, as well as for those who live no further than 120 km from their home.
So far, there have been no punishments or penalties for those who have chosen not to appear in the polls. Authorities call on voters to participate in the process to vote for one of the 40 registered political parties or formations.
The favorite for victory are the conservatives of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, followed by the left-wing radicals “Syriza” of Alexis Tsipras, while PASOK, headed by Nikos Andrulaqis, is expected to play an important role in the formation of the new government.
Also this year, Greek citizens of Albanian origin are running, who mostly adhere to the parties of the Greek left.
Who are the seven Albanian candidates in Greece?
Two of the candidates, Fatos Malaj and Niko Bilika, are running for the PASOK party, one in Athens and the other in Thessaloniki. While three other candidates Adiljan Koxhaj, Makrina Koci and Angjelos Jahollari compete with the “Syriza” Party in Thessaloniki and Evia.
Sidorela Kalthi is running for the Greek Communist Party in Crete and Paty Vardhami is running in Athens with the “MERA 25” initiative.
Most of the candidates from the Albanian community are talented young people from the second generation of immigrants who have been educated in Greece and England and have been involved in Greek political life.
Global Courantl
