The discussion of the law proposal of DIKO MP Chrysis Pantelidis for profiling abstinence began today in the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs.
The proposal, as Mr. Pantelidis, enables the Election Service after the end of each election to make a statistical recording of our fellow citizens who chose to abstain from the elections.
As he said, the proposal gives the possibility and there are technical and practical ways to make public within six months after each election a statistical analysis that records abstention by gender, by region of residence (urban - rural areas) and abstention rates by age group.
We consider, he added, "that these data are particularly useful and valuable for the State, for the political institutions, for the whole society, so that we can outline the abstention rate with the ultimate goal, of course, to implement policies that attract these citizens to participate, that is, to make the production of politics useful and interesting for those who prefer to turn their backs on us".
In today's debate the Commission heard the views of the Ministry of Interior and the relevant Electoral Service, the views of the Data Protection Commissioner, a representative of research and polling companies. "And we believe that these views combined with the comments of colleagues and peers are such as to allow further elaboration of our proposal and ultimately its passage," Pantelides added.
He also noted that the concerns and potential difficulties are mainly in the area of personal data protection, to add that "I am confident that with a constructive attitude of all parties we will be able to find the solutions and outline the abstention with the ultimate goal of reducing abstention over the years."
Responding to a question whether he expects the proposal to be passed before the presidential elections next February, Pantelidis said that he has no particular aim to complete the process before the presidential elections.
"For me, this proposal has a very long-term goal and horizon. So for me it is important that this proposal is passed without being pressed for time. We will be able to achieve this after the elections, that is not the issue, as long as it is done properly, as long as it is done in a way that can be useful for the years and decades to come."
Source: CNA
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