Hellenic President-elect Tasoulas pledges harmony and unity

House Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis (2nd from left), announces the results of the fourth vote for the election of president of the republic, to Konstantinos Tasoulas (l). In his first statement after his election as Greece’s ninth president since 1974 on Wednesday, former house speaker Tasoulas said he will work toward the “harmonious functioning of institutions and unity.” Tasoulas, 66, the candidate of the ruling conservative party, secured 160 votes in the 300-seat parliament.

A total of 276 lawmakers participated in the vote, while 24 were absent, including all 11 New Left MPs. In the fourth and final round of voting, the threshold for election was a simple majority of 151 votes. With New Democracy holding 156 seats, Tasoulas’ victory was all but guaranteed. Tasos Giannitsis, supported by the main opposition PASOK party, received 34 votes, while Louka Katseli, the candidate backed by leftist SYRIZA and New Left, garnered 29 votes. Kostas Kyriakou, the far-right Niki party’s candidate, received 14 votes. Tasoulas will succeed Katerina Sakellaropoulou, whose term expires on 13 March 2025.

Source: Alexandros Vlachos/AMNA