Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced he will select a candidate for Greece’s presidency by the end of January amidst ongoing speculation about who he will tap for the role.
The role of the president is largely a ceremonial role though it has definite political symbolism.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is likely to pick a candidate that will have broad appeal to avoid internal divisions within his New Democracy party following recent turmoil, including the expulsion of former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
Samaras was ousted from the party after several public statements, including the assertion that another former PM Kostas Karamanlis should take up the presidential role. (Karamanlis later made it clear that he’s “not interested” in the position.)
Separately, the New Left party recently proposed Christos Rammos for the presidency as a uniting left candidate to emphasize his role in investigating the wiretapping scandal. Critics quickly argued this would compromise his independence as head of the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy. Rammos ultimately rejected the suggestion.
Changes to the electoral process since 2019 have simplified the presidential voting procedure. Previous regulations included the risk of triggering national elections if consensus wasn’t reached.
Most recently in 2014 the country did end up going to national elections when the New Democracy candidate didn’t gather enough votes from MPs.
Currently the president is chosen by parliament through successive rounds of voting, with the threshold for a majority progressively lowered.
Amidst the speculation for presidential candidates are figures both from New Democracy and some from center-left PASOK. Current President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, whose term ends in February, could be reinstated in the role, though her perceived more liberal stance, particularly her support of marriage equality, has frustrated some of New Democracy’s more right-wing members meaning she may not be an ideal choice.
Bank of Greece Governor and former Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras has emerged as a strong contender for Greece’s presidency, though he downplayed the speculation in a recent TV interview, expressing support for current President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, calling her “a very good President.”
New Democracy MP and parliamentary speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas has also been floated as a candidate likely to garner votes and align with Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s goals.
Additionally, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni has entered the conversation, alongside other prominent figures speculated in Greek media, such as former PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos and ex-EU Commissioner Maria Damanaki.
