Greek Prime Minister Proposes Parliament Speaker as Presidential Candidate
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Synopsis
On January 15, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that Parliament Speaker Constantine Tassoulas will be the nominee for the next president. This decision emphasizes the importance of political experience in a challenging international context.
Key Takeaways
- Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis nominates Constantine Tassoulas for president.
- The upcoming presidential election is scheduled for January 25.
- A minimum of 200 votes is required in the first two voting rounds.
- The current president's term ends in March.
- Proposed constitutional changes aim to extend the presidential term.
Athens, Jan 15 (NationPress) Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis revealed on Wednesday that Parliament Speaker Constantine Tassoulas will be the candidate from his ruling party for the upcoming presidential election.
"In a turbulent international environment, our country needs a President with political experience," he stated during a televised announcement.
Tassoulas, an experienced member of the ruling New Democracy (ND) party, held the position of Minister of Culture and Sports in 2014 and has been elected as the speaker of the Greek parliament three times since 2019, each with a significant majority.
Although the role is primarily ceremonial, the individuals selected symbolize the nation's unity, as noted by Mitsotakis.
The current President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, a former head of Greece's highest administrative court, will see her term end in March.
The parliamentary vote is scheduled for January 25, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.
As per the Greek Constitution, a minimum of 200 votes out of the 300 members of the assembly is required in the first and second rounds of voting for a presidential election. In the third and fourth rounds, the threshold is 180 votes, while a simple majority of 151 votes is needed in the fifth and final round.
The country's president is elected for a five-year term and may only be re-elected once, according to the Greek Constitution.
During his televised address, Mitsotakis indicated that ND will propose an amendment to the Constitution aiming to extend the President's term to six years, with no possibility of re-election.
