A record 39 parties, seven coalitions and one independent would-be candidate hope to stand for Greece’s 21 European Parliament seats at May’s elections.
According to official figures, the 47 parties running filed their candidacy at the Supreme Court of Greece by the May 1st deadline, and have until Sunday May 4 to submit complete candidate lists. On May 11, the Supreme Court will announce which parties will be included on the ballot paper.
Candidates include the major partner in the government coalition, New Democracy, the main opposition SYRIZA party, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Democratic Left (DIMAR), the far-right Golden Dawn and the newly founded Potami. PASOK will participate in the elections with “Elia,” a political formation of smaller socialist and reformative parties.
Mr I. Koulouris has applied to stand as an independent ‘Meritocratic State’ candidate, claiming the Greek electoral law that forbids individuals from standing for election unless they are affiliated to a political party is unconstitutional.
Despite the 3,000-euro registration fee levied by the Greek Interior Ministry, this year’s elections has drawn a record candidacy, doubling the 23 parties that participated in the 2009 European Parliament election.
However, unlike previous elections, only a few parties have launched wholesale electoral campaigns to inform and attract voters, most candidates spurning the old door-knocking approach for limited tours and mailshots.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
