Greece’s parliamentary speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas was elected as new president of the Hellenic Republic in the fourth round of voting.
A 66-year-old Tasoulas secured 160 votes, surpassing the required 151. According to media reports, all 156 MPs from the ruling New Democracy party supported his candidacy, alongside former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and three independent MPs.
Tasoulas, a lawyer and long-time politician, will take over from Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Greece’s first female president, when her term ends on March 13, 2025.
Born in Ioannina, Greece, he studied at the Athens Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and earned a law degree in 1981. He worked as a lawyer in Athens and London, as well as took positions as prime ministry’s special secretary and mayor of Kifissia before being elected as a speaker of parliament.
Tasoulas’ appointment faced significant opposition, particularly from left-wing parties PASOK and SYRIZA. Critics argue that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis broke the long-standing tradition of selecting a nonpartisan president, instead choosing a sitting MP from his own party.
PASOK spokesperson Kostas Tsoukalas criticised the move, stating:
“Mr Mitsotakis is making a purely partisan choice by selecting a sitting MP from the New Democracy party for the highest office. He acted unilaterally, breaking political traditions and exposing his deep political insecurity.”
Public anger was also fuelled by the 2023 Tempi train disaster, which killed 57 people. Protesters accuse Tasoulas of failing to ensure a parliamentary investigation into potential political responsibility. Just last week, protesters marched through Athens, shouting “Murderers! Murderers!”
Despite the backlash, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, cited by Greek Reporter, defended his nominee, praising his experience and leadership. He said:
“Neither the different backgrounds of a president and a prime minister guarantee institutional balance, nor does their political alignment inherently create risks for the state.”
Mitsotakis emphasised that Tasoulas had been elected as parliamentary speaker with record-breaking support, stating:
“His unifying spirit and virtues have been demonstrated by the impeccable manner in which he has, until now, directed the work of the Parliament in a very difficult party landscape.”
With this election, Konstantinos Tasoulas becomes the 9th President of the Hellenic Republic and is expected to be sworn in on March 13
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
Greece has submitted its long-awaited maritime spatial plan to the European Union, outlining how it will organize various maritime activities such as fishing, tourism, offshore energy, and more.
Greece and France signed a new arms deal on Monday for the purchase of anti-ship missiles, reinforcing their growing defense cooperation amid regional security concerns.
Greek police are investigating a previously unknown urban guerrilla group after it claimed responsibility for a recent bomb blast at a railway operator, as well as an earlier attack in 2023.
Police are investigating a blast outside a train office in Athens after warning calls were made to local media.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov extended Moscow’s support for the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, offering to mediate or assist in any way that would be beneficial to Tehran and acceptable to Washington.
Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato strongly denied accusations that Japan manipulates its currency to weaken the yen, ahead of a highly anticipated meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent next week. Kato addressed the issue in the Japanese parliament on Friday, reaffirming that Jap
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment