The election of mayors and regional governors in a single Sunday – when the “alternative” vote is activated – What the new Local Government Code provides

By majority vote, the Plenary of the Greek Parliament approved the new Local Government Code, introducing sweeping changes to the electoral system for the election of mayors and regional governors.

The bill of the Ministry of Interior was passed in principle by New Democracy, while the opposition voted against it unanimously.

The most significant changes introduce a radical overhaul of the electoral process for the 2028 local elections, providing for the election of local authorities in a single Sunday, the abolition of the second round, and the activation of an “alternative” vote system.

How the one-round and supplementary vote mechanism will work

According to the new provisions, local elections in the country’s 332 municipalities and 13 regions will be held every five years, in a single round, on the last Sunday of November.

Voters will select their preferred combination, mayor or regional governor, as well as council members, as they do today. However, at the bottom of the ballot, the remaining combinations will be listed in order of registration, allowing voters—if they choose—to cast a secondary “supplementary” vote.

After polls close, counting will proceed as in the 2023 elections.

If the leading combination exceeds 42%, the mayor or regional governor is immediately elected, securing at least 3/5 of the seats. In this case, the alternative vote is not taken into account.

If no combination crosses the 42% threshold, a second counting phase is activated.

Only the top two combinations proceed to this phase. To their already received votes, the “alternative votes” are added—those potentially given by voters whose first choice was eliminated. The winner is the combination with the highest total across both phases.

At the same time, electronic voting is introduced.

Example

For example, assume combination “A” receives 40%, “B” receives 36%, and all other combinations together receive 24%.

If 5% of that 24% gave their alternative vote to “A”, and 10% to “B”, while the remaining 10% chose none, the final totals would give “A” 45% and “B” 46%, making “B” the winner.

The Minister of Interior stated that the new system strengthens democratic legitimacy while reducing administrative and fiscal burdens and addressing low turnout caused by the two-round system.

According to ministry data, nearly half of voters who participate in the first round do not return for the second. In Athens, turnout in the 2023 second round was just 26.7%, 32.5% in Thessaloniki, and 44.5% in Patras. Participation of voters living far from their registered municipalities also becomes extremely difficult, while the system places a heavy administrative burden on electoral services and court staff.

Key provisions of the new Code

• All core provisions are consolidated into a single Code, eliminating fragmented legislation.
• Previous scattered regulations are abolished or integrated.
• A unified interpretation and application framework is established.
• New rules are introduced with emphasis on efficiency, transparency, and citizen participation.
• Modern digital tools and reorganised administrative processes aim to strengthen municipal and regional capacity and improve public services.

Why the reform is important

The unified Code:

• Significantly reduces bureaucracy.
• Makes procedures easier for officials and administrators.
• Helps citizens better understand the system.
• Simplifies administrative processes and reduces delays.
• Increases participation opportunities, especially for those unable to vote traditionally (young people, remote voters).
• Clarifies institutional responsibilities and reduces overlap.
• Improves financial management and resource allocation.
• Enhances transparency regarding public spending.
• Reduces arbitrary decision-making through clearer procedures.
• Improves overall service quality and daily governance.

The 10 most important changes in local government

Fifteen years after their establishment, regions had not operated under a unified legal framework, resulting in overlapping responsibilities and confusion between state services, former regional administrations, and elected prefectures. The new Code resolves this by introducing a unified legal framework for municipalities and regions.

Citizen participation is strengthened through advisory municipal referendums via electronic voting and upgraded youth councils.

Transparency and accountability are reinforced through mandatory publication of decisions and digital oversight tools.

Governance structures are reorganised, clarifying the roles of councils, committees, and advisory bodies.

A structured legality control system is introduced, focusing exclusively on legality (not political merit), through a central digital system.

The status and compensation of elected officials is clearly defined.

Competences of municipalities and regions are systematically mapped within a multi-level governance framework.

The electoral system is changed, abolishing the second round and introducing electronic voting in designated polling stations under judicial supervision.

Digital transformation is embedded across local government operations.

Structure of the Code

The Code consists of six books:

• Book I: Defines local government, electoral rules, intergovernmental relations, and election financing oversight.
• Book II: Covers governance bodies, advisory institutions, legal entities, and the status of elected officials.
• Book III: Defines municipal and regional competencies.
• Book IV: Covers financial administration, procurement, assets, and revenues.
• Book V: Regulates legality oversight and disciplinary accountability.
• Book VI: Includes horizontal provisions and ratifies the additional protocol of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.