Greece has launched a public consultation on its long-awaited new Local Government Code, a sweeping legislative reform designed to streamline the operation of municipalities and regional authorities by bringing together multiple existing laws into a single framework.
The consultation process will run until June 4, with the government presenting the reform as an effort to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability across local administration.
A key objective of the new code is to clearly define the responsibilities of municipalities and regional authorities, addressing longstanding confusion over which level of government is responsible for specific services and emergency responses. The reform is intended to help citizens better understand which authority is accountable for particular issues, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters or severe weather events, when overlapping responsibilities have often led to disputes and delays.
The proposed legislation is divided into six sections covering the full structure and operation of local government.
- The first section sets out the organizational framework for local authorities, including the classification of municipalities, the election of local and regional administrations, and rules governing campaign spending.
- The second focuses on municipal governance, local government legal entities and the institutional status of elected officials.
- A third section provides a detailed record of local government responsibilities and how they should be exercised, with an emphasis on ensuring that municipalities and regions can effectively carry out their duties regardless of size or geographic characteristics.
- Financial management is addressed in the fourth section, which introduces significant changes aimed at simplifying the economic administration of local authorities.
- The fifth establishes an objective oversight system focused exclusively on reviewing the legality of local government decisions and actions, in line with constitutional requirements.
- The final section contains additional provisions, including the incorporation into Greek law of a supplementary protocol linked to the European Charter of Local Self-Government.
Among the most notable changes proposed in the reform is the introduction of consultative municipal referendums conducted through electronic voting, accompanied by institutional safeguards governing the process.
The legislation also proposes a new electoral system for local authorities, abolishing the second round of municipal and regional elections. It would additionally allow electronic voting at designated polling centers under judicial supervision, a measure intended to strengthen voter participation and enhance the democratic legitimacy of elected administrations.
The draft law further introduces a targeted and objective legality-control mechanism for local government bodies, supported by an integrated digital monitoring system and a dedicated oversight service.
