ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis nominated parliament speaker Constantine Tassoulas from his centre-right New Democracy party for the Greek presidency on Wednesday.
President Katerina Sakellaropoulou’s five-year term expires in March and an initial parliamentary vote on the largely ceremonial post is expected on Jan. 25.
To succeed her, a nominee needs the backing of at least 151 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament.
New Democracy, which has been in power since 2019, has 156 seats but the recent expulsion of a former prime minister from its parliamentary group has left some doubt about its cohesion.
The party is leading in opinion polls but has seen a drop in popularity ratings over a cost-of-living crisis and reforms that have pushed away some of its core conservative voters.
Mitsotakis said in a televised address that he chose the 66-year old, who has been a lawyer and lawmaker since 2000 and served as culture minister, because of his political experience, widespread acceptance, and his “unifying spirit”.
He added that, for the sake of political stability, the presidential term should be a single one of a duration of six years, as opposed to the current five-year term which can be renewed, and that he would suggest it as part of a constitutional amendment in the coming years.
Tassoulas told parliament that his nomination was a top honour.
His proposal is viewed by political analysts as a risk-free, conservative move by the government that wants to secure support from all New Democracy factions and sustain its majority.
Opposition parties are not expected to back his candidacy. The leftist Syriza party has proposed Louka Katseli, a former economy minister who served as a director at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the post.
Mitsotakis urged them to consider it.
“It will be a choice of unity and prospect for Greece,” he said, thanking Sakellaropoulou, the country’s first female president.
“I tried to fulfill my duties with the greatest possible responsibility,” Sakellaropoulou said in a statement, wishing the next Greek president success.
(Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas; Editing by Peter Graff and Bernadette Baum)
