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The new system of the so-called “simple proportionality” in the municipality elections is depriving winning mayors of the absolute seats majority in local councils and forces them into alliances.
In 58 municipalities winning mayors have fewer seats in the city councils than the opposition.
In Thessaloniki, for example, the new mayor elected on Sunday, Konstantinos Zervas, will have 7 seats/counselors, while his main opponent Nikos Tachiaos will have 11!
Zervas received 66.79% of the votes on the second round of elections but 14.93% in the first round. In comparison, Tachios received 33.21% on Sunday, June 2, and 22.40% on May 26.
Mayor Zervas will have as many seats as opponents Giorgos Orfanos (ND, 14.52%) and Katerina Notopoulou (SYRIZA, 13.51%).
The second round of elections run only between the first two candidates.
With the “simple proportionality” scheme, city counselors are elected in the first round of elections.
Other striking examples
Alexandroupolis: New mayor 10 seats, outgoing mayor and main opponent 15!
Elassona: New mayor 14 seats, outgoing 17!
Ilioupolis/Athens: New mayor 6 seats, outgoing 13!
Iraklio/Crete: new mayor 12 seats, main opposition 18!
City Councils upside down
The new system brings majority in city councils upside down and forces mayors to ally with opposition fractions in order to have their plans approved by the city council. A difficult task. Zervas in Thessaloniki will have to have the consent of 23 councilors from opposition fractions to have his plans approved by the city council.
At the same time, the new scheme allows opposition fractions to gain control over the mayors and their city/town planning.
This is something that many mayors would not like, but they would have to adjust themselves and their policies to the new standards.
It remains to be seen how will this new scheme will work in real people city councils.
The post City Councils upside down: In 58 municipalities mayors have fewer seats than main opponents appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
