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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-07-01Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Government bill on electoral law revision posted for public consultationThe government's draft bill that changes the electoral law by establishing proportionate representation and eliminating the 50-seat bonus to the first party and lowering the voting age to 17 years was posted for public consultation on Friday.The bill drafted by the interior ministry maintains the 3 pct as a threshold for a party's entry in parliament. "The largest possible matching of each political party and coalition's parliamentary representation to its actual electoral strength is an important prerequisite for restoring public confidence in democratic institutions and the political system," says the explanatory memorandum accompanying the bill. It says the bill lowers voting age to 17 from 18 in an effort to widen the electorate and "strengthen their democratic reflexes, which is particularly important in a time of crisis in representation and discrediting of politics." For the new bill to be applied in the next elections, it will have to be voted from 2/3 of the entire parliament, namely to receive at least 200 votes. If a simple majority is achieved (from 151 to 199 votes) then it will be applied in the second elections from today. The public has until July 4, at 19:59, to submit comments and proposals. The full text of the draft bill (in Greek) is found at: http://www.opengov.gr/ypes/?p=3914 [02] ND rejects government's proposal for electoral law revisionThe main opposition party, New Democracy, criticized the government's proposal for a new electoral law that establishes a proportional representation, saying it is a ploy to ensure its political survival."On the day that millions of Greeks see their wages and pensions slashed from the incompetent and obsessive government of SYRIZA and ANEL, it unveils its interventions for the creation of an electoral law. Deeply isolated from the vast majority of the people, it seeks accomplices for its political survival. It will not succeed," ND said in a statement. "Very soon it will be a bad nightmare Greeks will want to forget forever," it added. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |