The 2010 Greek local elections were held on 7 November 2010 (first round) and 14 November 2010 (second round) to elect representatives to Greece's restructured local authorities, comprising 13 regions and 325 municipalities.
Traditionally, candidates at local elections do not run under the official name of any party as the constitution only foresees the participation of electoral lists (or "combinations") and not parties. Despite this theoretical independence and distinction, for all practical purposes most candidates run as local front organisations for political parties.[1]
The election also comes at a time of increasing unrest in Greece following numerous bombs being sent to foreign embassies,[2] as well protests against austerity measures forced by the EU and IMF in order for Greece to receive external financial support.
With the economy being touted as the mandate sought in the election Prime Minister George Papandreou said he would dissolve the national parliament should the candidates of his Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) fail to win an unspecified threshold. "Citizens will decide in today's election if we will hold steady on the path of salvation... or if we will go back to decay and to the Greece of bankruptcy."[3]
In the municipalities, as well as the regions, any candidate can participate in the first round. If the leading candidate doesn't have the required 50%+1 of the votes, then a second round is held between the two leading candidates of the first round.
Source: Hellenic Ministry of the Interior
Notes:
† Ioannis Dimaras was elected a parliament member with Panhellenic Socialist Movement in the National Elections of 2009.
§ Alexios Mitropoulos is a member of the National Council of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement.
‡ Alekos Alavanos is a prominent member of the Coalition of Radical Left, and although his party didn't support him officially, some fractions such as KOE, DEA and KEDA did.
Notes:
† Dimitrios Giannoulakis was independent at the time of the elections, but was supported by Dora Bakoyannis and is closely related to her newly founded Democratic Alliance party
The government saw its share of vote drop by 9% but it remained the largest party. Prime Minister Papandreou said that he would continue with tough austerity measures to alleviate Greece's debt burden following a narrow victory in the election.[4]