Konstantinos Tasoulas elected new President of Greece
New Democracy MP and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Konstantinos Tasoulas, was elected this Wednesday (February 12) as President of Greece.
Tasoulas, the candidate of the ruling conservative party, secured 160 votes in the 300-seat Parliament. A total of 276 lawmakers participated in the vote.
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, Tasula's victory was guaranteed, ATSH reports.
Tasos Giannitsis, backed by the main opposition party PASOK, received 34 votes, while Louka Katseli, the candidate backed by the left-wing SYRIZA and the New Left, received 29 votes. Kostas Kyriakou, the candidate of the far-right Niki party, received 14 votes.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in his message on the election of the President, expressed his belief that Tasoulas will fulfill his role as a symbol of national unity and guarantor of constitutional stability.
"The Assembly elected today the 10th President of the Third Republic of Greece. I would like to warmly congratulate Konstantinos Tasoulasis, convinced that he will fulfill his high role as a symbol of our national unity, but also as a guarantor of democratic normality and constitutional stability. For his mission, after all, he has both prestige and political experience. Characteristics that he has already demonstrated in the public positions that he has served continuously for decades, but mainly from the seat of the Speaker of the House, a position where he was elected with broad cross-party support. Therefore, he has the respect of all of us", said Mitsotakis.
Tasoulas will succeed Katerina Sakellaropoulou, whose term ends on March 13. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place on the same day.
