Hellenic Parliament opens presidential vote

Lawmakers begin voting on Saturday to elect the country’s next president, with the governing New Democracy party nominating Konstantinos Tasoulas.

The politically charged process is unfolding in a divided parliament, with opposition parties criticizing the candidate as a partisan choice.

Four candidates are vying for the presidency: Tasoulas, backed by New Democracy; Louka Katseli, supported by SYRIZA; Tasos Giannitsis, endorsed by PASOK; and Kostas Kyriakou, running with the far-right Niki party.

Recent constitutional reforms ensure that if no candidate secures the required majority after successive votes, the president can eventually be elected with a simple majority of those present. New Democracy holds 156 seats, enough to elect Tasoulas in later rounds.

Former prime minister Antonis Samaras and independent lawmakers previously affiliated with right-wing factions are also expected to support Tasoulas. However, smaller party leaders and independent lawmakers have fragmented allegiances, adding unpredictability.

In the first two rounds, 200 votes are required for election; this threshold falls to 180 in the third and ultimately to 151 votes in the fourth.

Analysts anticipate that Tasoulas will clinch victory in the final round due to his party’s parliamentary majority.

Opposition candidate Louka Katseli is expected to be the closest contender, buoyed by SYRIZA’s 26 seats and other leftist backing.

Giannitsis of PASOK will likely trail behind, supported by his party’s 31 lawmakers and scattered independents.

While the election advances smoothly, the political climate surrounding it reflects sharp partisan divides, setting the stage for continued debates over the presidency’s role in Greece’s political sphere.

Source: ekathimerini.com