The debate and voting of the bill for the introduction of postal voting in the European elections and in the national referenda will be completed in the next few hours in the Plenary.

In the phase of its processing in the competent parliamentary committee, the bill had secured a broad majority, in principle, given that opposition parties – SYRIZA, PASOK and Pleusi Eleftherias – despite their reservations about individual provisions, recognized the postal vote as due facilitation of foreign voters in the exercise of their right to vote.

Since last Monday, however, when the discussion of the bill began in the Plenary, the broad consensus is a thing of the past. There are two crucial events that led to the reversal of the associations that had been formed: the first, the decision of the political leadership of the Ministry of the Interior to file an amendment for the establishment of postal voting, for Greeks abroad, in national elections as well. (s.s. this matter cannot be rushed and rushed, said the opposition).

The second, the decision of PASOK and SYRIZA to vote on the objections of unconstitutionality filed, at the beginning of the debate on the bill, by the KKE, the New Left, the Hellenic Solution and Niki and then to put their own on the “table” amendments with their own proposals. One of these proposals, as submitted by SYRIZA, envisages the creation of four out-of-town electoral districts.

Last Friday, New Democracy, SYRIZA and PASOK declared in favor of the principle of the bill in the parliamentary committee. The KKE and Niki had declared against the principle of the bill. The Hellenic Solution, the Spartans, the New Left and Freedom Sailing had declared reservations about their final position in the Plenary. Especially Pleusi Eleftherias had made it clear that it would ultimately vote in favor of the principle of the bill in the Plenary. With these data, the bill, for the establishment of postal voting in the European elections, would secure 232 positive votes, on principle.

These are articles at the heart of the government’s postal vote reform.

PASOK and SYRIZA are now basing their stance on how the political leadership of the Ministry of the Interior will respond to their request to withdraw the amendment to extend postal voting in national elections. They are also asking the government to incorporate their own proposals. If the facts remain as they are, then the scenario of 232 positive votes, barring a shocking prospect, “burns”. However, the postal vote, after certainty, will be voted tonight, at least by the coalition and by Freedom Sailing, and will be valid in the upcoming European elections. What was not at the center of this parliamentary confrontation in the last 24 hours, including the result of the vote, is estimated to be heard many times again, inside and outside Parliament, for voters inside and outside the territory, in the months remaining until the European elections . As a parliament member of the coalition who took the stage in the Plenary said a while ago: “the writings remain as do our votes”.