| Dimitrios Sioufas ( M) |
| Nikolas Stefanou ( M) |
10021 ATHENES
Tel.: (30210) 369 21 01 - 05
Fax: (30210) 369 21 40
E-mail: interel@parliament.gr
| http://www.parliament.gr |
1947 - 1967
1975
- one multi-member nationwide constituency for 12 "State Deputies"
- majority vote, under some circumstances, to allocate further remaining seats at the national level and simple majority vote in eight single-member constituencies
Parties obtaining at least 3 per cent of the votes cast receive a minimum of six seats in parliament.
The 12 "State Deputies" are nominated by the most successful parties and elected according to a party-list proportional representation system, the whole country then being regarded as one constituency.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by the "next-in-line" candidate on the same party list.
Voting is compulsory until the age of 70. Failure to vote is punishable by a prison sentence of one month to one year, and a loss of the offender's post (however, no one has ever been prosecuted).
- Greek citizenship
- full possession of civil rights
- disqualifications: persons disfranchised pursuant to legal prohibition or criminal conviction for offenses defined in the common or military penal code, or persons who are wards of the court.
- age: 25 years or over
- Greek citizenship
- members of the armed forces and security service
- certain public officials or holders of public office
- directors of parastatal agencies or organizations
The Constitution provides a full list of ineligibilities (Article 56) and incompatibilities (Article 57).
- presentation on an independent basis or under a party label, supported by at least 12 voters, or self-nominated.
- non-reimbursable deposit of 146.74 euros.
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
However, a week after the elections were called, massive forest fires broke out in southern Greece, which killed more than 65 people before the flames were extinguished over a week later. There was widespread criticism of the way in which the government responded to the emergency. The Prime Minister subsequently ordered aid for the victims, and pledged to rebuild their burned homes.
In all, 21 parties contested the 2007 elections. Both the ND and the PASOK pledged to implement social reforms. Shortly before the elections, the Government announced new social benefits, which reportedly boosted support for the ND. The Prime Minister called on voters to give his party the majority it needed to continue with the economic reforms.
Pre-election opinion polls showed increasing support for smaller political parties, such as the Communist Party (KKE), which had taken 12 seats in the 2004 elections, and component parties of the Coalition of the Left and Progress (SYN), which had won six seats in 2004. The SYN formed a new electoral coalition called the Coalition of the Radical Left (Sy.Riz.A), which included the Democratic Social Movement (DIKKI) and other leftist parties. The small far right-wing LAOS campaigned against Turkey's entry to the European Union, and promised to introduce immigrant quotas.
A total of 74.14 per cent of the 9.9 million voters turned out at the polls.
Five parties surpassed the three-per-cent threshold to win parliamentary representation. Prime Minister Karamanlis' ND won the elections with a diminished majority in parliament, taking 152 seats. The PASOK followed with 102 seats, losing fifteen. The KKE won 20 seats, while the Sy.Riz.A took 12 seats. The LAOS party won 12 seats, becoming the first far right-wing party to enter the parliament since the end of dictatorship in Greece in 1974. In all, 48 women were elected.
On 19 September, a new government formed by Mr. Karamanlis was sworn in.
On 26 September, the newly elected Parliament held its first session. On 27 September, Mr. Dimitrios Sioufas (ND) was elected as the new Speaker.
Note:
The Coalition of the Radical Left (Sy.Riz.A) included the following political parties:
Active Citizens
Communist Organization of Greece (KOE)
Democratic Social Movement (DIKKI)
Ecological Intervention
Internationalist Workers Left (DEA)
Kokkino
Movement for the United in Action Left (KEDA)
Popular Unions of Bipartisan Social Groups (LEYKO)
Renewing Communist Ecological Left (AKOA)
Synaspismos (SYN)
| Round no 1 (16 September 2007): Election results | ||||
| Number of registered electors | 9'921'343 | |||
| Voters | 74.14% | |||
| Blank or invalid ballot papers | ||||
| Valid votes | 7'159'817 | |||
| Round no 1: Distribution of votes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Candidates | Votes | % of votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
| New Democracy (ND) | 2'995'321 | 41.84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) | 2'727'702 | 38.10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Communist Party (KKE) | 583'768 | 8.15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sy.Riz.A | 361'216 | 5.05 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| La.O.S | 271'761 | 3.80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Round no 1: Distribution of seats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Total of seats | Gain/Loss | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Democracy (ND) | 152 | -13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) | 102 | -15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Communist Party (KKE) | 22 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sy.Riz.A | 14 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| La.O.S | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- http://www.ekloges.ypes.gr/
- Ministry of Interior (02.10.2007, 04.03.2008)
| 21 to 30 years | 3 |
| 31 to 40 years | 26 |
| 41 to 50 years | 71 |
| 51 to 60 years | 116 |
| 61 to 70 years | 48 |
| Over 70 years | 5 |
| Unknown | 31 |
| Legal professions | 70 | |
| Educators | 34 | |
| Medical professions (doctors, dentists, nurses) | 34 | |
| Others | 33 | |
| Economists | 32 | |
| Engineers/PC experts | 25 | |
| Media-related professions (journalists/publishers) | 22 | |
| Scientists and researchers | 11 | |
| Business/trade/industry employees, including executives | 10 | |
| Civil/public servants/administrators (including social/development workers) | 9 | |
| Architects | 6 | |
| Liberal professions (including artists, authors) and sports professionals | 5 | |
| Farmers/agricultural workers (including wine growers) | 4 | |
| Military/police officers | 2 | |
| Bankers (including invest bankers)/accountants | 2 | |
| Consultants (including real estate agents) | 1 |
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Parliament, adoption of motion of censure, incapacity on any ground for the discharge of his/her duties
- election held at the beginning of each parliamentary term
- after the Members' mandates are validated and after Members are sworn in
- absolute majority is required
- if no candidate is elected in the first round, only the two candidates with the largest number of votes are admitted in the second round
- 3 Members of the Parliament supervise the voting (2 of them belong to the majority party, the third to the opposition)
- the interim Speaker announces the results without any delay
- the results cannot be challenged
- may be called upon to replace the Head of State in the event of the latter's absence
- represents the Chamber with the public authorities
- represents the Chamber in international bodies
- is the President ex officio of the Standing Orders Committee, the Parliament's Finance Committee, the Committee for Public Enterprise, Banks and Public Benefit Organizations
- in the absence of the Speaker, a Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
+ special allowance (40% of the MP salary)
- official car
- secretariat
- police protection
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- proposes the setting up of committees of enquiry
- convenes the committees
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Chamber
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Chamber
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates
- recruits, assigns and promotes staff
- appoints the Clerk
- organizes the services of Parliament
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
- transmits to the competent Minister extracts of the ratified minutes that include the text of the adopted bill
· Procedure (Art. 58 and 100 (4) of the Constitution, and the relevant provision of the electoral law.
· Procedure (Art. 60 (2) of the Constitution): submission of a written declaration to the Speaker. The declaration is irrevocable.
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the resignation need not be accepted.
- Loss of eligibility (Art. 55 and 100 (1) (c) of the Constitution)
- Loss of mandate for incompatibilities (Art. 57 and 100 (1) (c) of the Constitution)
- General procedure (Art. 100 (4) of the Constitution)
1. The Speaker
2. The members of the Bureau
3. The Leaders of the Opposition
4. The parliamentary representatives of each party
· Outside Parliament: the official order of precedence ranks the Speaker in the 3rd position, the Leader of the Leading Opposition Party in the 5th position, the Leaders of the political parties represented in Parliament in the 12th position, the members of the Board of Parliament in the 13th position, and the other MPs in the 16th position.
· Basic salary (see also Art. 63 (1) of the Constitution): 5,393.40 euros
+ Additional allowance for participation in meetings
+ Family allowance
· The basic salary is not tax exempt. The allowances are tax exempt.
· Pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat
(b) Assistants (see also Art. 65 (5) and (6) of the Constitution): 2 civil servants, 1 assistant
(c) Official housing
(d) Security guards: 1 policeman
(e) Postal and telephone services (see also Art. 63 (2) of the Constitution)
(f) Travel and transport (see also Art. 63 (2) of the Constitution)
(g) Others: medical care of a high functionary
According to the Constitution and the Standing Orders (S.O.) of the House, candidate MPs, MPs and Members of the European Parliament submit their electoral expenses to a special parliamentary committee. Furthermore all MPs and MEPs submit annually a detailed declaration of their personal and family assets to this special parliamentary committee.
· Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by MPs both within and outside Parliament, as far as there is a direct link of the expression of opinion or vote to the exercise of the mandate.
· Derogations: libel, after lifting of immunity (Art. 61 (2) of the Constitution), offence or insult (see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
· It applies only to criminal and disciplinary proceedings, covers all offences and protects MPs from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, and from the opening of judicial proceedings against them.
· Derogations: in cases of flagrante delicto, when caught in the act of committing a felony, no leave is required (Art. 62 (4) of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal. But see Art. 61 (3) of the Constitution.
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate, as well as, in the case of political crimes, between early dissolution of the House and the election of a new Parliament (Art. 62 (1) of the Constitution). It also covers judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 62 (1) of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the Parliament
- Procedure (Art. 62 (2) and (3) of the Constitution, SO 83 of the Standing Orders of the House). In this case, MPs have to be heard. They do not have means of appeal.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned might be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
· Handbook of parliamentary procedure:
- Standing Orders of the House
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation (Art. 63 of the Constitution, SO 76 (5) of the Standing Orders of the House): reduction of salary
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the rules of conduct: loss of mandate (Art. 57 and 100 (1) (c) and (4) of the Constitution; incompatibilities)
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the Special Highest Court
· Procedure (Art. 57 and 100 (1) (c) and (4) of the Constitution).
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
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