Press Statement, July 2026
In view of the forthcoming constitutional revision in Greece, we call on all political parties to take a clear and public position on the participation of migrants and refugees in the political life. We urge decision-makers to reopen a substantive public debate on the right of legally residing migrants and refugees to vote and stand as candidates in local government elections, and to pursue the legislative and constitutional reforms necessary to make this democratic participation a reality.
Greece is being called upon to recognise a social reality that has long been established. Migrants and refugees who reside legally and permanently in the country are not temporary observers of local life. They are workers, entrepreneurs, parents, students, taxpayers, neighbours and active members of communities. They contribute to local economies, participate in social and cultural life, and share responsibility for the prosperity and cohesion of the municipalities in which they live. Today, Greece is home to more than one million migrants and a substantial population of recognised refugees who have built their lives in local communities across the country.
Yet many of these residents remain excluded from the democratic processes that shape decisions directly affecting their daily lives. Municipal and regional authorities make decisions on public services, education, housing, transportation, urban planning, social policy, and community development. Excluding a significant segment of the resident population from participation in these decisions creates a democratic deficit that is increasingly difficult to justify in a modern European democracy based on equality, representation and inclusion.
The extension of local voting rights to legally residing non-citizens is neither a radical proposition nor an untested experiment. It is a long-established democratic practice in many European countries. Ireland has granted local voting rights to legally resident foreign nationals since 1963, regardless of nationality. For more than six decades, this system has operated successfully without challenging the integrity of Irish citizenship, while fostering participation and local democratic engagement.
The Nordic countries provide another compelling example. Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway all allow non-citizen residents to participate in local elections after a defined period of lawful residence. In Denmark, nearly 500,000 foreign residents were eligible to vote in the 2025 local elections. These countries have long regarded local political participation as an essential component of integration, recognizing that residents who contribute to a community should also be able to participate in shaping its future.
Spain has adopted a different but equally significant approach by extending local voting rights to non-citizens through reciprocal agreements with a number of countries. This model demonstrates that European democracies can develop different constitutional and legal pathways to greater inclusion while remaining fully consistent with national traditions and citizenship frameworks.
Beyond these examples, a growing number of European states have recognized that local democracy is strengthened when long-term residents are included in political decision-making. According to comparative research cited by the Migration Policy Group, approximately half of EU Member States already provide some form of local electoral participation for non-EU residents. This demonstrates that granting local voting rights is not an exceptional practice but a mainstream feature of European democratic governance.
The Council of Europe has repeatedly emphasised the importance of local electoral participation for integration. Its Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has identified voting rights as a key factor in the successful long-term integration of migrants and has highlighted a broader European trend toward granting local voting rights to long-standing foreign residents. According to the Congress, participation in local elections encourages new residents to become active members of their communities and strengthens democratic inclusion at the local level.
The evidence from Europe demonstrates that political participation contributes directly to successful integration outcomes. First, it strengthens a sense of belonging. Residents who are able to participate in local democratic processes are more likely to identify with their communities, develop a sense of ownership over local public life, and feel invested in the success of their neighbourhoods and municipalities. Political inclusion communicates a simple but powerful message: that long-term residents are recognised as legitimate members of the community rather than permanent outsiders.
Second, political participation increases trust in democratic institutions. Research and policy experience across Europe indicate that migrants, young and older, who engage in local democratic processes are more likely to develop confidence in public institutions and perceive government as responsive and accountable. This contributes to stronger democratic legitimacy and more constructive relationships between local authorities and diverse communities. Where residents are denied representation despite their long-term presence and contribution, feelings of exclusion and political alienation are more likely to emerge.
Third, electoral inclusion encourages broader forms of civic participation. International experience suggests that voting often serves as a gateway to deeper engagement in public life, including participation in parents’ associations, neighbourhood groups, volunteer organizations, local consultations, and civil society initiatives. The ability to vote encourages individuals to follow public debates, engage with community issues, and assume greater civic responsibility. As a result, local communities benefit not only from increased democratic participation but also from stronger social capital and community cohesion.
Fourth, local voting rights improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of local governance. Municipal authorities can only represent their communities adequately when they are accountable to the full range of residents who live within them. Including immigrants and refugees in local elections allows policymakers to better understand community needs, improve service delivery, and design more effective policies in areas such as education, housing, employment, public health, and social inclusion. More representative institutions are ultimately better equipped to govern increasingly diverse societies.
None of these European experiences suggest that local voting rights weaken citizenship. On the contrary, they demonstrate that local participation and national citizenship serve different but complementary purposes. Citizenship continues to define membership in the national political community and participation in national elections, while local voting rights recognize the legitimate stake that long-term residents have in decisions affecting their everyday lives. This distinction has enabled numerous European democracies to strengthen both democratic inclusion and social cohesion without undermining the significance of citizenship itself.
The democratic representation of local societies in the twenty-first century must reflect the realities of contemporary society. A democracy that seeks to represent its people cannot ignore the presence and contribution of long-term residents who have built their lives, families, and futures within its borders. The principle that those who are subject to local decisions and contribute to local communities should have a voice in those decisions is fully consistent with the values of representative democracy and democratic accountability.
The recognition of the right of legally residing migrants and refugees to participate in local elections is not a concession, a privilege, or an act of charity. It is a democratic guarantee rooted in the principles of equal dignity, inclusion and representative governance. It reaffirms the commitment of the Republic to democracy and equality, rejecting the creation of a two-tier society in which some members of our communities remain permanently excluded from democratic life despite their long-standing presence and contribution.
At a time when democracies across Europe are seeking ways to strengthen social cohesion, rebuild trust in institutions, and promote active citizenship, Greece has an opportunity to align itself with established democratic practices and reaffirm its commitment to an inclusive vision of democracy. The constitutional revision process offers a unique opportunity to address this longstanding democratic gap. The time has come to recognize a simple democratic principle: those who live in our communities, contribute to life and share responsibility for the future should also have the right to participate in shaping that future. A stronger democracy is one in which no permanent resident is treated as a permanent outsider.
