After the Local Elections in Greece 2023: The Loss of Athens and Thessaloniki Shakes the Dominance of New Democracy
After the Local Elections in Greece 2023: The Loss of Athens and Thessaloniki Shakes the Dominance of New Democracy

Author(s): Tomi Dimitrovski
Subject(s): Politics, Governance, Government/Political systems, Electoral systems
Published by: IFIMES Mednarodni inštitut za bližnjevzhodne in balkanske študije
Keywords: Greece; 2023; local elections; local administration;
Summary/Abstract: Greece has a specific local administration system consisting of 332 municipalities and 13 prefectures. The second round of local elections took place on 8 October 2023. The newly elected mayors and prefects will serve a five-year term from 1 January 2024, to 31 December 2028. The ruling conservative party, New Democracy, a member of the European People's Party (EPP), secured victory in the local elections but failed to achieve its initially set objective. It captured only eight out of the targeted 13 prefectures and 202 municipalities, which is eight more than in the 2019 elections. The PASOK party, a member of the Party of European Socialists (PES), won 78 municipalities, a decrease of 14 compared to the results in 2019. The leftist SYRIZA party secured 15 mayoral positions, five less than in 2019. Candidates endorsed by PASOK and SYRIZA claimed victory in nine municipalities. The Communist Party (KKE) triumphed in six municipalities, four more than in 2019. The most notable accomplishment of the KKE in these elections was its victory in the city of Patras. Independent candidates will govern 22 municipalities from 2024 onwards, which is eight more than in the previous elections.

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