Greece’s alleged GDPR scandal rocks ruling centre-right party

Numerous complaints over mass pre-election emails sent by an EU lawmaker to Greek voters living abroad without their consent have caused political turmoil, with resignations and expulsion in the ruling conservative New Democracy party (EPP).

In an email on 1 March, New Democracy MEP Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou called on voters abroad to subscribe to her newsletter, informing them about her activities “100 days before the EU elections”.

The issue sparked an intense debate in Greece and on social media, considering that postal voting will be applied for the first time in the EU elections in June and the implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes centre stage.

Asimakopoulou denied any wrongdoing, saying she had collected the email addresses on her own, through various activities during her five-year mandate as an MEP.

Greece’s data watchdog investigates MEP’s mass emails to voters abroad

Greece’s independent Data Protection Authority has launched an investigation after numerous Greek voters living abroad complained that centre-right MEP Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (EPP) sent them pre-election emails without their consent.

The Greek opposition hinted, however, that some in the Ministry of Domestic Affairs had handed over the mailing lists.

Meanwhile, Greece’s independent Data Protection Authority has launched an investigation.

Asimakopoulou announced on Friday (15 March) that she would withdraw her candidacy for the EU elections. On the same day, the secretary-general of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs resigned and a party executive responsible for the Greek diaspora was sacked.

Stefanos Kasselakis, leader of the main leftist opposition party, Syriza, insisted that the government should still explain how the personal data of people – which was at the ministry’s disposal – was leaked to the MEP.

On a political level, some estimate more troubles ahead, given that Asimakopoulou is considered a close ally of former conservative prime minister Antonis Samaras, a heavyweight politician who is not on best terms with the current Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Contacted by Euractiv, a European Commission official said the enforcement of the GDPR lies with the national competent data protection authorities and courts.

“Generally, the GDPR provides amongst others that any processing of personal data, including on collection, storage, disclosure, must comply with one of the legal grounds of and all other obligations, including the obligation to take appropriate data security measures,” the Commission official said.

“We understand that the Greek data protection authority and the judicial authorities have already launched investigations into this matter”, the official added.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]