2019 Greek legislative election

2019 Greek legislative election

7 July 2019
All 300 seats in the Hellenic Parliament 151 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	9,962,261
Turnout	57.78% (1.62 pp)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis Alexis Tsipras Fofi Gennimata Party ND Syriza KINAL Last election 28.09%, 75 seats 35.46%, 145 seats 6.28%, 17 seats Seats won 158 86 22 Seat change 83 59 5 Popular vote 2,251,618 1,781,057 457,623 Percentage 39.85% 31.53% 8.10% Swing 11.76 pp 3.93 pp 1.72 pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Dimitris Koutsoumpas Kyriakos Velopoulos Yanis Varoufakis Party KKE EL MeRA25 Last election 5.55%, 15 seats – – Seats won 15 10 9 Seat change New New Popular vote 299,621 209,290 194,576 Percentage 5.30% 3.70% 3.44% Swing 0.25 pp New New
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before election Alexis Tsipras Syriza Prime Minister after election Kyriakos Mitsotakis ND

Legislative elections were held in Greece on 7 July 2019.[1][2] The elections were called by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on 26 May 2019 after the ruling Syriza party lost the European and local elections.[3] They were the first national elections since the voting age was lowered to 17, and the number of parliamentary constituencies was increased from 56 to 59. Athens B, the largest constituency before the 2018 reforms, with 44 seats, was broken up into smaller constituencies, the largest of which had 18 seats.

The result was a landslide victory for the centre-right liberal conservative New Democracy party led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which received nearly 40% of the vote and won 158 seats, an outright majority. This was Greece's first single-party majority government since 2009.

Electoral system

A visual representation of the seat allocation system used in Greece

See also: Elections in Greece, List of parliamentary constituencies of Greece, and Apportionment in the Hellenic Parliament

Compulsory voting was in force for the elections, with voter registration being automatic.[4] However, none of the legally existing penalties or sanctions have ever been enforced.[5]

A number of changes to the electoral system were introduced following the September 2015 elections. The voting age was reduced from 18 to 17 in July 2016,[6] with the same law also abolishing the majority bonus system, which gave a 50-seat bonus to the largest party. Instead, all 300 seats would be awarded proportionally.[6] However, this law did not come into effect for the 2019 elections, as it was not approved with the required supermajority despite the Syriza-led government expressing support for its introduction for the 2019 elections.[7] As a result, the previous system remained in force, with 250 seats elected in multi-member constituencies using a 3% electoral threshold, plus 50 bonus seats for the largest party.

The number of parliamentary constituencies was also modified in December 2018, with Athens B split into Athens B1 (North), Athens B2 (West), and Athens B3 (South), while Attica was split into East Attica and West Attica.[8]

Opinion polls

Main article: Opinion polling for the 2019 Greek legislative election

Local regression trend line of poll results from 20 September 2015 to 7 July 2019, with each line corresponding to a political party.

Conduct

A few minutes before the polls closed, a group of young protesters stormed the 33rd polling station in the distinct of Exarcheia, Athens, and stole the ballot box. A previously-unknown anarchist group, Ballot-seeking Arsonists, later claimed responsibility. It claimed to have burned the stolen ballot box. As a result, a repeat election at the same polling station was held a week later, on 14 July.[9][10] The results did not change the final allocation of seats because of the small volume of votes.

Results

Results, showing the winning party in each municipal unit.

  ND (820)

  SYRIZA (197)

  PASOK (5)

  KKE (2)

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	New Democracy	2,251,618	39.85	158	+83
	Syriza	1,781,057	31.53	86	–59
	Movement for Change	457,623	8.10	22	+5
	Communist Party of Greece	299,621	5.30	15	0
	Greek Solution	209,290	3.70	10	New
	MeRA25	194,576	3.44	9	New
	Golden Dawn	165,620	2.93	0	–18
	Course of Freedom	82,786	1.47	0	New
	Union of Centrists	70,178	1.24	0	–9
	Recreate Greece	41,631	0.74	0	0
	United Popular Front–Agricultural Livestock Party	28,313	0.50	0	0
	Antarsya	23,239	0.41	0	0
	Popular Unity	15,612	0.28	0	0
	Assembly of Greeks	14,079	0.25	0	New
	Communist Party of Greece (Marxist–Leninist)	7,760	0.14	0	0
	Marxist–Leninist Communist Party of Greece	2,706	0.05	0	0
	Workers Revolutionary Party	1,719	0.03	0	0
	Organisation of Internationalist Communists	1,576	0.03	0	0
	Syn...Fonia Politikon Kommaton	51	0.00	0	New
	Greek Ecologists	0	0.00	0	0
	Independents	472	0.01	0	0
Total		5,649,527	100.00	300	0
Valid votes		5,649,527	97.92
Invalid votes		77,477	1.34
Blank votes		42,640	0.74
Total votes		5,769,644	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		9,984,934	57.78
Source: Ministry of the Interior

By region

Constituency	ND		SYRIZA		KINAL[a]		KKE		EL		MERA25		XA
	%	±	%	±	%	±	%	±	%	±	%	±	%	±
Achaea	32.43	10.06	40.27	1.20	8.91	1.28	5.45	0.37	3.24	New	3.14	New	2.12	3.43
Aetolia-Akarnania	40.95	10.24	33.89	1.23	10.24	1.75	4.93	1.12	1.69	New	2.13	New	2.74	4.26
Argolis	43.43	9.71	24.99	4.52	14.84	5.25	3.56	0.68	3.25	New	3.12	New	2.68	5.87
Arkadia	42.56	8.75	30.14	0.53	10.81	0.90	4.54	0.36	2.75	New	2.67	New	2.58	4.17
Arta	38.99	8.22	39.94	0.82	8.44	1.36	4.83	0.89	1.43	New	1.98	New	1.50	2.71
Athens A	42.32	11.20	31.29	0.26	5.16	0.48	6.37	0.54	2.58	New	3.84	New	3.09	3.82
Athens B1	45.81	13.04	28.22	2.88	5.59	0.98	6.19	0.50	2.54	New	4.15	New	2.00	2.84
Athens B2	29.69	10.05	38.60	2.58	6.00	1.52	8.65	0.14	3.51	New	4.28	New	3.16	3.82
Athens B3	39.49	12.30	32.03	3.29	5.72	0.95	7.13	0.37	2.99	New	4.44	New	2.42	3.14
East Attica	43.13	14.11	29.60	5.42	5.03	1.00	4.96	0.11	4.85	New	3.87	New	3.16	4.64
West Attica	34.28	12.88	36.24	4.56	5.24	1.01	5.93	0.17	5.24	New	3.20	New	4.62	6.70
Boeotia	36.25	12.95	32.27	5.42	9.70	3.04	7.01	0.01	3.39	New	3.41	New	3.23	4.47
Cephalonia	37.94	10.39	32.45	1.50	5.82	0.07	9.52	0.60	2.49	New	3.45	New	2.99	4.39
Chalkidiki	42.59	9.30	24.32	8.58	10.37	3.31	3.14	0.15	4.33	New	3.81	New	5.26	1.96
Chania	34.05	14.65	37.35	4.32	6.54	0.03	5.02	0.43	3.13	New	4.85	New	2.45	3.67
Chios	45.65	13.07	22.14	5.77	14.94	1.83	4.78	0.25	2.43	New	2.89	New	2.98	2.84
Corfu	35.14	12.95	34.41	6.18	7.50	1.81	6.99	0.07	2.40	New	4.84	New	3.18	4.37
Corinthia	41.80	12.15	30.73	4.31	8.47	1.51	2.80	0.29	4.11	New	3.68	New	3.41	5.25
Cyclades	43.55	12.27	28.32	5.36	8.52	1.68	4.20	0.24	2.88	New	4.10	New	2.78	3.41
Dodecanese	41.28	13.15	29.73	4.81	10.37	0.88	3.20	0.20	3.87	New	3.01	New	3.69	4.36
Drama	43.90	12.03	22.72	7.00	12.31	3.76	2.78	0.32	6.70	New	3.10	New	2.96	4.13
Elis	36.03	9.11	34.82	2.49	14.79	4.04	3.62	1.00	2.88	New	2.21	New	2.40	5.19
Euboea	36.61	12.64	34.91	5.03	8.53	2.00	4.98	0.41	4.16	New	3.14	New	2.64	5.29
Evros	44.99	11.29	27.55	4.32	8.17	1.34	2.95	0.01	5.86	New	2.39	New	3.52	5.19
Evrytania	48.87	14.54	29.54	3.93	9.94	0.34	2.79	0.15	2.14	New	1.84	New	1.61	3.09
Florina	39.02	8.74	35.51	2.33	6.24	0.13	3.07	1.24	7.27	New	2.78	New	2.37	4.37
Grevena	43.16	11.01	29.49	5.02	9.89	0.53	5.82	0.42	2.74	New	2.32	New	2.87	2.74
Imathia	41.92	14.36	26.98	7.30	8.24	1.41	4.68	0.46	5.63	New	3.06	New	4.04	5.22
Ioannina	37.42	9.09	36.30	3.22	9.53	2.17	4.99	0.51	2.34	New	2.79	New	1.94	2.81
Heraklion	30.15	9.82	43.22	1.99	11.38	1.66	3.57	0.67	2.18	New	4.03	New	1.51	2.43
Karditsa	44.91	14.06	30.45	5.29	9.42	2.26	5.60	0.88	2.49	New	1.87	New	2.29	5.05
Kastoria	50.23	13.29	27.10	1.86	7.00	0.96	2.53	0.54	2.73	New	2.98	New	2.98	5.58
Kavala	42.55	11.50	26.20	6.20	8.48	1.53	4.18	0.18	5.86	New	3.13	New	3.35	4.45
Kilkis	42.35	9.94	23.22	7.67	11.21	4.15	5.05	0.93	5.16	New	2.70	New	5.24	4.23
Kozani	39.39	11.50	31.39	2.47	10.30	2.52	4.64	0.79	4.01	New	2.96	New	2.54	3.66
Laconia	49.91	12.37	19.63	3.44	14.39	1.98	3.57	0.53	3.19	New	2.01	New	3.64	7.80
Larissa	39.30	11.31	31.25	3.68	8.79	2.54	6.25	1.00	4.34	New	2.81	New	2.82	4.23
Lasithi	34.32	8.34	34.57	4.62	15.40	4.06	2.93	0.33	2.64	New	3.08	New	1.52	2.43
Lefkada	44.37	12.37	28.19	2.49	9.60	1.73	8.16	2.32	1.30	New	2.81	New	1.83	3.44
Lesbos	38.99	10.44	29.01	0.01	8.57	0.88	10.04	0.64	2.62	New	2.25	New	3.48	4.30
Magnesia	38.76	12.58	32.16	3.90	6.58	1.79	5.33	0.91	4.34	New	3.78	New	3.89	4.57
Messenia	44.37	8.91	30.66	0.16	6.85	0.91	4.69	0.74	3.35	New	3.02	New	2.86	5.24
Pella	42.29	10.74	28.52	4.74	9.31	2.62	2.59	1.06	5.60	New	2.50	New	3.59	5.83
Phocis	44.75	12.59	29.16	3.82	7.35	0.81	6.04	0.20	3.01	New	3.00	New	2.62	4.48
Phthiotis	43.79	12.74	31.64	2.98	7.59	0.86	4.38	0.40	3.19	New	2.58	New	2.82	4.95
Pieria	47.45	14.77	23.33	9.10	8.52	1.90	3.98	0.47	5.73	New	2.78	New	3.21	4.22
Piraeus A	43.73	14.28	29.72	3.91	4.94	0.54	5.51	0.37	3.39	New	3.88	New	3.18	4.64
Piraeus B	30.19	11.87	38.22	3.80	5.09	1.07	8.02	0.08	4.20	New	4.40	New	3.69	4.71
Preveza	43.47	11.02	34.38	1.07	8.25	0.23	5.49	1.27	1.39	New	2.07	New	1.65	3.43
Rethymno	36.55	9.18	36.99	1.14	9.82	0.49	3.33	0.04	2.30	New	3.45	New	1.72	2.32
Rhodope	37.84	15.10	27.17	12.18	21.94	17.38	4.25	2.17	2.57	New	1.38	New	2.17	3.29
Samos	34.13	11.65	29.08	1.93	6.85	0.79	14.47	1.67	3.30	New	2.81	New	3.55	4.11
Serres	48.04	12.83	23.25	5.83	8.68	1.68	3.41	0.23	6.11	New	3.13	New	2.94	4.97
Thesprotia	41.14	9.75	31.54	5.58	13.28	4.12	3.73	0.71	1.81	New	2.50	New	1.61	3.11
Thessaloniki A	35.52	10.23	31.31	4.50	6.05	1.73	5.30	0.01	5.39	New	4.76	New	3.92	3.35
Thessaloniki B	43.02	13.52	25.14	7.74	6.65	1.91	4.61	0.20	5.65	New	4.06	New	4.20	4.24
Trikala	44.40	13.59	29.54	6.26	9.71	2.37	6.07	1.04	2.85	New	2.05	New	1.82	3.83
Xanthi	36.78	12.95	39.60	10.01	8.78	4.68	2.19	0.45	3.44	New	2.35	New	2.62	2.97
Zakynthos	41.91	14.40	31.44	4.72	5.37	1.09	9.04	1.16	2.21	New	3.32	New	2.36	4.37

See also

• List of members of the Hellenic Parliament, 2019

Notes

1. Compared to DISY

References

1. "Greek elections: New Democracy on course for majority". BBC News. 7 July 2019. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
2. Mylonas, Harris (2020). "Greece: Political Developments and Data in 2019". European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook. 59: 161–174. doi:10.1111/2047-8852.12299. ISSN 2047-8852.
3. "After defeat, Greek PM calls for snap elections". Kathimerini. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
4. "Constitution of Greece" (PDF). Hellenic Parliament. Retrieved 5 November 2011. Article 51, Clause 5: The exercise of the right to vote is compulsory.
5. Υποχρεωτική η ψήφος αλλά "παγωμένες" οι κυρώσεις [Voting is mandatory, but penalties "frozen"]. Eleftherotypia (in Greek). Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
6. Εφημερίδα της Κυβερνήσεως τη Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας [Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic] (in Greek), vol. A, Athens: National Publishing House, 27 July 2016, retrieved 12 February 2019
7. "Σκουρλέτης: Μακάρι η απλή αναλογική να εφαρμοστεί στις επόμενες εκλογές" [Skourletis: I hope the simple proportional representation system will be enforced in the next elections]. www.kathimerini.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 12 March 2019.
8. Εφημερίδα της Κυβερνήσεως τη Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας [Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic] (in Greek), vol. A, Athens: National Publishing House, 31 December 2018, retrieved 12 February 2019
9. "Anarchist group claims responsibility for stolen ballot box". Kathimerini. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
10. "Anarchists Storm Polling Station and Burn Ballot Box in Athens". Greek Reporter. 7 July 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.