Greek PM nominates parliament speaker for presidential post By Reuters

ATHENS, “Reuters”: – Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis nominated Parliament Speaker Konstantin Tasoulas from his center-right “New Democracy” party for the post of Greek President on Wednesday.

President Katerina Sakellaropoulou’s five-year term expires in March, and a parliamentary vote for the largely ceremonial post is expected on January 25.

To replace him, a candidate needs the support of at least 151 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament.

New Democracy, in power since 2019, has 156 seats, but the former prime minister’s recent ouster from his parliamentary group has left some doubts about its cohesion.

The party has also seen a drop in popularity amid a cost-of-living crisis and reforms that have alienated some of its core conservative voters, polls show.

Mitsotakis said in a televised address that he chose the 66-year-old, who has been a lawyer and lawmaker since 2000 and has served as culture minister, because of his political experience, broad acceptance and “unifying spirit”.

Tasulas told parliament that the offer was a great honour.

His nomination is seen by political analysts as a risk-free, conservative move by the government, which wants to secure support from all New Democracy factions and maintain its majority.

The opposition parties are not expected to support his candidacy, and the left-wing Syriza party has nominated former Economy Minister Luca Katseli, who served as director of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Mitsotakis urged them to consider it.

“It will be a choice of unity and perspective for Greece,” Mitsotakis said, thanking Sakellaropoulou, the country’s first female president.

“I tried to fulfill my duties as responsibly as possible,” Sakellaropoulou said in the statement, wishing success to the next president of Greece.