Following the Greek Forum of Refugees’ long-standing efforts to promote political participation and secure the right to vote for migrants and refugees, a new collective initiative brings the issue back into the public and political dialogue.
People who have lived in Greece for many years, work, pay taxes, raise their families, and participate in the daily life of local communities still do not have the right to vote in local elections. In other words, they are unable to participate on an equal footing in the decisions that directly affect their neighborhood, their municipality, and their everyday lives.
For the Greek Forum of Refugees, this demand is not a new one. It has been a consistent part of our long-standing efforts to promote meaningful political participation and representation for people with refugee and migrant backgrounds. The Democracy4All initiative builds on these efforts, with the demand for the right to vote constituting one of the initiative’s main pillars.
A Broad and Collective Process
On the occasion of the launch of the parliamentary discussions on the constitutional revision, the Greek Forum of Refugees approached the Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), with the aim of strengthening the effort through the necessary coordination and the relevant legal substantiation.
This was followed by a broad process of dialogue and co-creation, involving primarily migrant and refugee communities, as well as civil society organisations and the Council for the Integration of Migrants and Refugees of the Municipality of Athens.
Through this collective process, a Coordinating Group was formed, which undertook the drafting of the joint text, the coordination of the actions, and the monitoring of the overall effort.
The final text has been co-signed by 70 communities, organisations, and institutions, and has already been sent to the parliamentary parties. Through this letter, the co-signatories call for the right of migrants and refugees to participate in local elections to be meaningfully placed on the political and institutional agenda.
The Effort Continues
The submission of the joint letter marks an important step, but not the end of the effort. In the next stage, the text will be opened for signature and endorsement by additional communities, organisations, and institutions wishing to contribute to this demand.
As Democracy4All and the Greek Forum of Refugees, we support this collective initiative and will continue to contribute to its next steps.
Democracy becomes more meaningful when the people who are part of a society have a voice and are able to participate in its decision-making
Read the joint letter and the list of the 70 co-signatory organisations (Greek):