On Thursday, 25 June 2026, Interior Minister Theodoros Livánios entered a direct confrontation over upcoming local elections, defending the government’s proposed electoral reforms from the floor of Parliament. He declared that “the second round has closed its cycle,” framing the changes as a necessary step to boost voter turnout and strengthen the democratic legitimacy of elected officials.
A Deepening Political Divide
The dispute erupted over Articles 54, 56, and 57 of the Ministry of Interior’s draft Local Government Code — provisions that would abolish the two-round system for mayoral elections in favour of a single-round, majority-based model. While the government argues the reform will curb low participation—especially in the second round—and reduce political horse-trading between the first and second Sundays, opposition parties strongly objected.
The PASOK-led opposition filed a constitutional challenge against the measures, claiming they were tailor-made to benefit New Democracy (ND), Greece’s ruling party. That challenge was rejected by MPs aligned with the governing coalition. Responding to criticism, Livánios dismissed the objection as politically motivated, quipping: “This motion could be titled ‘We don’t like the electoral system, therefore it’s unconstitutional.’”
Why End the Two-Round System?
Livánios argued that the current two-round system no longer serves the needs of local democracy. He cited declining voter engagement, voter fatigue, and behind-the-scenes negotiations between rounds as key flaws. “Our top priority is tackling low citizen participation—particularly in the second round of local elections,” he said, adding that limiting such political bargaining was essential.
He stressed that the Greek Constitution does not prescribe any specific electoral system nor mandate a two-round process for local elections — meaning the reform falls well within constitutional bounds. He also rejected comparisons to a “Frankenstein system,” countering that the real anomaly was the existing scenario where a mayor wins outright in the first round but governs without a council majority — a situation he described as unprecedented globally.
Opposition Fires Back
Opposition voices reacted sharply. PASOK MP Panagiotis Doudonis accused the government of rewriting electoral rules solely to influence who gets elected. In a pointed rhetorical jab, he suggested the logic could extend absurdly: “You could just pass a law stating that Mitsotákis will always be Prime Minister, Tasoulas President, and Bakogiannis Mayor of Athens.”
KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumpas delivered an even more scathing critique, calling the proposal an “absurdist tragedy.” He mocked the lack of consistency in the new framework, asking sarcastically: “Here’s a mayor, there’s a mayor — but where exactly *is* the mayor?”
Athens at the Heart of the Debate
The Athens municipality emerged as a focal point. SYRIZA leader Sokratis Famellos referenced the city’s recent election outcome — where ND lost the mayoral seat despite strong national support — implying the government’s reform push stems from an inability to accept electoral defeat at the local level.