On February 5, 1930, a historic presidential decree was issued in Greece, granting women the right to vote in municipal and community elections for the first time. This was a hard-won constitutional victory, though it fell short of the ultimate goal—full political participation. Greek women would still have to wait several years before they could vote in parliamentary elections.

The road to this milestone had been long and arduous, and the reasoning behind this partial suffrage was deeply rooted in the political mindset of the era. To understand the forces at play, we must turn to Eleftherios Venizelos, Greece’s influential Prime Minister, whose speech on July 9, 1929, sheds light on the decision-making process.

Venizelos and the Limited Vote for Women

Venizelos, a dominant figure in Greek politics and a driving force behind the country’s modernization, had long entertained the idea of granting women the right to vote—at least at the local level. In his 1929 speech, he recalled a conversation from 1919 with a Member of Parliament from Kefalonia, Mr. Basian, regarding the possibility of women’s suffrage.

“When asked about the matter, I expressed my belief as leader of the Liberal Party that, at least regarding municipal and community elections, the issue was mature enough. Women should be given the right to vote, as their involvement in issues of health, charity, hospital oversight, and other social matters is invaluable.”

However, Venizelos was far less enthusiastic about extending full voting rights in national elections. His reasoning? The high illiteracy rates among Greek women at the time.

“I am more hesitant regarding political elections because, unfortunately, even among men, we have a large number of illiterate voters. We cannot go backward and exclude them, but adding yet another mass of uneducated voters may be too much. While I do not entirely dismiss the idea of granting full suffrage, I am not yet prepared to embrace it. Radical reforms should not be introduced in a way that shocks society.”

He reassured conservatives who feared drastic change, jokingly remarking:

“Even after granting women the right to vote, the sun will still rise in the east, and the moon from the same place. Nothing in this world will collapse.”

The First Women Voters in Greece

Despite the reluctance to extend full political rights, the municipal voting reform of 1930 marked a turning point. The first elections where women cast their votes were held in Thessaloniki in December 1930, following the removal of Mayor Nikolaos Manos due to financial misconduct. The next municipal elections with female voters took place in Piraeus in February 1932, after the imprisonment of Mayor Takis Panagiotopoulos for embezzling a large sum from the city’s treasury.

Greek women

The first Greek women voters in Piraeus wait in line to cast their vote. «ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΝ ΒΗΜΑ», 29.2.1932, Ιστορικό Αρχείο «ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ» & «ΤΑ ΝΕΑ»

Though far from complete suffrage, this reform laid the foundation for the eventual recognition of women as equal participants in Greece’s political life. It was a slow and cautious process, but one that ultimately reshaped the course of Greek democracy.