Konstantinos Tasoulas became the new president of Greece, winning parliament
Conservative Konstantinos Tasoulas has been elected President of Greece, receiving 160 votes in Parliament. He will succeed Katerina Sakellaropoulou on March 13.
Photo: wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
On Wednesday, 66-year-old Konstantinos Tasoulas, a lawmaker from the ruling New Democracy party and former Speaker of Parliament, was elected as the new President of Greece, according to eKathimerini.com.
He secured 160 votes in the 300-seat Parliament, with 276 deputies participating in the vote.
Tasoulas was the frontrunner for the position, as he was backed by New Democracy, which holds 156 seats. In the final round of voting, he needed a simple majority of 151 votes to win, ensuring his election.
His main rival, PASOK opposition candidate Tasos Giannitsis, received 34 votes. Louka Katseli, backed by the left-wing parties SYRIZA and "New Left," secured 29 votes. The candidate from the far-right party Niki, Kostas Kyriakos, received 14 votes.
Tasoulas will take office on March 13, succeeding Katerina Sakellaropoulou. She has already congratulated him on his victory. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also expressed support, stating that Tasoulas has the experience and authority needed for the role of head of state.
However, criticism has emerged. Opponents recall that under Tasoulas, Parliament did not initiate an inquiry into the political responsibility for the 2023 Tempe railway disaster.
This issue remains unresolved, as only Parliament has the authority to investigate politicians' actions.
Earlier, it was reported that thousands of people have fled Santorini and nearby islands due to increasing earthquakes, causing panic. Authorities have implemented emergency measures, closed schools, and scientists are closely monitoring seismic activity.
It has also been announced that Greece has introduced a six-day workweek, sparking protests from workers and trade unions, who argue that the increase to 48 hours per week violates their rights.