It is our pleasure and honor to speak with you today. Congratulations on the flawless organization of the European Elections by the Ministry of Interior. These are the first elections where citizens both inside and outside of Greece were able to vote via postal voting, which is significant for deepening democracy. According to the Ministry of Interior’s statistics, approximately 205,000 Greek citizens declared their intention to vote via postal voting. Of these, about 155,000 reside in the country, while 50,000 are Greek citizens living abroad. Are you satisfied with this result? What do you think went well in the entire process? Where do you think the process can be improved?

Following an initiative by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek Parliament – even with the majority solely of the ruling New Democracy party – passed a historic reform that changes the electoral process after many years. This is not just about changing an electoral system, but about the essence of voting itself, making the exercise of voting rights more inclusive and adapted to modern realities. Citizens are now given the right to vote, from wherever they are, in an immediate, valid, and universal manner. Moreover, citizens have the option, if they do not wish to vote by post, not to send back their ballot envelope and instead vote in person on Election Sunday. Personally, this expansion of options for citizens to exercise their supreme democratic right demonstrates that Greece is pioneering in issues of democratic functioning. It is natural in Greece that every innovation is met with some hesitation the first time, but we believe that the numbers you mentioned send a message of optimism and create a spirit of renewal. Let us not forget that ultimately, more than twice the number of Greeks abroad voted compared to the average in the elections of May and June 2023. So, we believe that a very good start has been made, but we are not resting on our laurels and are already examining how postal voting can be improved both technically and politically, leveraging the experience we have gained. Law 5083/2024 is a landmark in the electoral process, with excellent and detailed provisions, but we are working methodically to optimize it.

Before the introduction of postal voting, Greek citizens could only participate in the electoral process abroad by voting in person, and only if they met certain strict criteria. As a result, of the approximately 26,000 registered voters in the June 2023 elections, registrations doubled to about 50,000 after the establishment of postal voting! Why was there such a doubling? (Is it related to the removal of criteria, the elimination of in-person voting, the convenience of the process, or better state mechanism promotion and mobilization?)

We estimate that the doubling of diaspora registrations is due to the removal of the strict criteria that were in place before Law 5044/2023 came into effect. Let us not forget that this is the first piece of legislation introduced and passed by the Kyriakos Mitsotakis government after its triumphant re-election in June of last year. It is emblematic work for us at the Ministry of Interior since we convinced Greek society of the value of unimpeded voting for our diaspora. This law was complemented by the postal voting law, which allows our compatriots who have left for abroad to vote for their homeland without obstacles or excessive costs. They absolutely deserve it, and it is our homeland's duty to embrace all its children, wherever they may be. At the same time, 50 years after the establishment of the Third Hellenic Republic, it represents a qualitative and significant advance in our democratic practices. Although the elections for the European Parliament are generally considered less significant than those for our National Parliament, 50,000 Greeks abroad registered, and of them, approximately 36,000 ultimately voted. We believe that eliminating the requirement for in-person voting at consulates abroad is the only way forward after the experience of the 2023 national elections. The practical limitations led to long, expensive trips, discouraging many from going to consulates to vote. Thus, postal voting, with its long-term implementation in so many other countries, was the ideal solution. The services of the Ministry of Interior flawlessly executed a complex task for the first time, thus paving the way for the next step: the establishment of postal voting for our expatriate citizens in national elections as well.

Although 50,000 citizens from abroad registered, it appears that about 36,000 eventually voted by mail. Do you have an idea of why the remaining residents did not vote? (Perhaps they didn’t receive their envelopes, didn’t send their vote on time, or was postal voting also affected by voter abstention?) Do you have numbers on whether some residents abroad, who had declared they would vote by mail, ultimately voted in person in Greece?

To answer your questions step by step: The envelopes that were ultimately not received by voters abroad were about 2%, despite at least one attempt by the courier company to deliver them. Additionally, very few overseas voters’ envelopes did not reach the deadline. Postal voting, in any case, partly offset voter abstention, but not to the extent it would in national elections. Although we do not have detailed statistics as they are kept by the country’s Courts of First Instance, it is considered likely that some Greeks abroad, who had declared they would vote by post, ultimately did not vote but came to Greece in person, either because they wanted to due to the summer or because their studies allowed them to do so. Our goal remains to increase registrations as much as possible and for all interested parties to complete the process.

Were there specific problems that overseas residents faced with postal voting? How do you plan to address them in the next elections? (Do you have numbers on how many votes were annulled because voters did not enclose the required documents in the envelope?)

A major aspect of the registration process for overseas residents was the ability to register both with taxisnet codes and a passport number. The process was relatively simple, but it also contained many details and included a user guide for both registration and the voting process. Invalid votes can be due to various reasons. Regarding the lack of required documents, leading to the annulment of such votes, their number was about 25,000 votes, which were considered invalid and not counted. We believe this annulment resulted from the fact that this process was unfamiliar to most voters, so it is understandable that around 10-12% did not precisely follow the instructions enclosed in the postal voting envelope. Surely, next time, this percentage will be lower, and familiarity with the process will be greater.

During the registration process, you allowed voters to register using taxisnet codes as well as Greek passport information, something particularly important for Greeks in the U.S. who do not have taxisnet credentials. How many voters took advantage of this option?

In detail, 247,259 users were identified on the platform, of whom 190,181 submitted an application. The vast majority of these, 239,799 users, were identified with taxisnet codes. Using Greek passport details, 7,460 users connected, either in combination with a Greek ID or their municipal registry information. Of those who connected, 6,504 ultimately submitted an application. We are confident that the number of users will increase, as the alternative option of using Greek passport details allows Greek residents of the U.S., in particular, to bypass any practical obstacles to registration for exercising their voting rights.

Approximately 10 million citizens are registered on the electoral rolls. Despite the fact that the registration process for postal voting was very easy, only 155,000 registered. Why do you think more people didn’t show interest? Do you think it had to do with the fact that these were European elections?

Initially, we need to be realistic. The number is not small, as we are talking about a new process, which for most people was met with suspicion and perhaps we could say ignorance. Surely, the fact that European elections traditionally have lower participation also played a role. Our major challenge is to establish postal voting for national elections. Therefore, the number of registrations does not concern us, but at the same time, it does not reassure us.

What are your plans for postal voting in the future? In the next European elections, how many people do you believe could register to vote by post, both from within the country and abroad?

First of all, the next European elections are five years away, according to current law. Therefore, any estimate is premature. If you want a general picture, yes, we believe registrations will increase, as many people ultimately noticed how easy the process was, and many regretted not having registered while the platform was still open. We are certainly aiming for much higher numbers, but by then, we believe that the first trial will take place, if parliamentary conditions are ripe, at the level of national elections.

From our experience here in the U.S., we know that many Greek Americans who have Greek passports and IDs had not heard about the introduction of postal voting in Greece. Does the Ministry of Interior have an awareness and marketing strategy that you will “run” in the immediate future? How do you plan to inform even more Greek citizens about postal voting?

It is well known that the Ministry of Interior “ran” a campaign both for domestic and overseas voters. Indeed, strategic awareness and marketing are of great importance these days, as everyone follows every social media platform, every website, and of course, everyone has access to television. As a ministry, we already have some initial thoughts on improving the awareness campaign, but it is at an early stage, so we will reserve judgment to speak through actions in the coming period.

As the results showed, postal voting greatly facilitated the voting process for residents abroad. Can postal voting be established as the method for overseas residents in the next national elections?

It is the stated intention of the Kyriakos Mitsotakis government to extend postal voting to national elections for Greeks abroad. This effort was made during the process of passing Law 5083/2024, but it was rejected by other parties. The threshold of 200 parliamentary votes will be determined after a thorough and detailed discussion among the parliamentary groups. Legal experts and constitutional scholars have expressed their views on the matter. In any case, rest assured that the Ministry of Interior, once called upon, will be ready to meet the increased demands and responsibilities that will arise from the adoption of postal voting in national elections.

What needs to happen for postal voting to be established nationwide and abroad for national elections? Do you believe this is feasible?

Postal voting certainly needs to be established for voters outside of Greece. As mentioned earlier, it must be politically mature, with dialogue between the parties to address any concerns and obstacles, and to achieve broad bipartisan consensus. A total of 200 votes are required for it to take effect in the next electoral process, and I believe the government will do everything possible to overcome any barriers. Personally, we believe it is feasible and that it fairly addresses the needs of Greek citizens living outside the country. From our side, as the Ministry, we must evaluate the experience we have gained and plan the best possible preparation for the relevant services.