Heraklion (regional unit)

The Regional District of Heraklion ( Greek Periferiaki Enotita Iraklion ) is the most populous regional district of the Greek island of Crete and the region. It was established in 1915 as a prefecture and lost this status with the administrative reform in 2010. Competencies of the prefecture were divided on the region and the numerically much reduced communities. With 25 mandates the Regional District sent almost half of the 51 members of the Cretan Regional Council, has also, however, no political significance.

Topographically, the regional district includes the area between the Psiloreitis massif in the west and the Dikti mountains in the east. A large part occupies the location off the south coast plain of Messara, the largest contiguous agricultural landscape of Crete.

The Regional District Heraklion includes the municipalities Archanes - Asterousia, Hersonissos, Phaistos, Gortyna, Heraklion, Malevizi, Minoa Pediada and Viannos.

In Heraklion is also the largest seaport and the main international airport in the region. Both are located in the eponymous city of Heraklion on the north coast.

Election results

Since 1974, scored in the prefecture of Heraklion, the socialist PASOK - as in all of Crete - in all elections to the national Greek Parliament ( Vouli ) the largest share of votes, even in the elections in which they had been left behind at the national level partly significantly behind the conservative New Democracy. This changed radically with the Greek sovereign debt crisis from 2010.