Local, European polls to be held on the same day

Next year's local elections will take place in May instead of October, to coincide with the European elections, after Interior Minister Panos Skourletis accepted an amendment submitted by 16 SYRIZA MPs to the so-called Kleisthenis 1 bill, aimed at overhauling the governance of local authorities.

The decision has given rise to speculation that the government may also opt to hold snap general elections on the same day.

According to analysts and critics, one of the reasons why the government could opt for three elections on the same day is its declining popularity in the opinion polls. The reasoning is that SYRIZA would have an easier time managing losses in all three elections on the same day, rather than on three separate occasions.

The lawmakers had initially submitted an amendment on Tuesday night aimed at having the first round of local elections a week before...