By Penelope Galliou

The countdown to clarify the landscape of which parties will take part in the upcoming elections on May 21 has begun and tonight at midnight, the relevant deadline for submitting the participation of parties that want to take part in it ends.

The interest is now focused on the parties and new formations that will seek to enter the Parliament, with the eyes turning to the pursuits of Ilias Kasidiaris or his possible “straw men”, who will attempt to overcome the scope of the recent legislative regulation that blocks the participation of parties formations with specific criteria in the national elections.

In any case, the A1 Political Department of the Supreme Court is expected to meet next week, which will judge which parties meet the criteria of the law, to be candidates in the national elections.

In particular, the schedule of participation in the upcoming elections unfolds as follows:

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 is the deadline of (3) days after the start of the pre-election period for the declaration of party name and emblem to the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court (article 37 paragraph 1 p. d. 26/2012, as replaced by article 27 of Law 4648/2019)

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 also expires the deadline of (3) days after the start of the pre-election period for the submission to the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of a declaration of coalition of several collaborating parties, nickname and emblem of their coalition (article 37 paragraph 2 p. 26 /2012, as replaced by Article 27 of Law 4648/2019).

On Thursday, April 27, 2023, the deadline of one (1) day expires for the appeal for the use of the name or emblem of a political party or for the status of its President or member of its Steering Committee, submitted exclusively after the deadline of paragraph 1 of article 37, before the A1 Department of the Supreme Court.

The decision of the A1 Department of the Supreme Court is issued at the latest within twenty-four (24) hours from the submission of the appeal (article 38 par. 2 pt. 26/2012, as replaced by article 28 of law 4648/2019 and amended by Article 13 of Law 4954/2022).

On Thursday, April 27, 2023, the deadline of (5) days from the start of the pre-election period for sending the statements of the military, etc. expires. to the President of the Primary Committee of the relevant electoral district (article 27 paragraph 5 p.d. 26/2012).

On Saturday, April 29, 2023, the deadline for submitting the resignation of public officials and employees, officers of the armed forces, etc., expires. from the service and the positions that constitute an obstacle to electability in accordance with paragraph 1 of article 56 of the Constitution (article 30 paragraph 1 p.d. 26/2012, as replaced by article 33 of law 4648/2019)

On Saturday, April 29, 2023, the deadline expires where, based on article 34 of the p.d. 26/2012 within (7) days from the start of the pre-election period, each party, coalition of cooperating parties and combination of independent candidates, prepares and submits its combinations. The submission is made, subject to paragraph 5 of article 33, exclusively on the electronic portal for the registration of candidates in article 33 of the p.d. 26/2012 and is binding for all legal consequences.

On Sunday, April 30, 2023, the deadline of (3) days for filing an objection against the registration in the lists of military personnel, etc. expires. (article 27 paragraph 5 p.d. 26/2012).

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the deadline expires where, within three (3) days after the deadline for submitting nomination proposals, the A1 Department of the Supreme Court announces in a public meeting the electoral combinations, as they were declared in accordance with article 34 of p.d. 26/2012, as replaced by Article 31 of Law 4648/2019 and amended by Article 58 of Law 4735/2020, Article 34A of 26/2012, as added by article 32 of law 4648/2019 and article 35 of the p.d. 26/2012, as replaced by Article 34 of Law 4648/2019 and amended by Article 76 of Law 5027/2023.