The Parliament’s corridors are full of behind-the-scenes action concerning the voting of a new president of the Greek republic. One of the texts that calls for the president to be a member from the current Parliament is signed by at least twenty deputies from the Democratic Left (DIMAR) Party and independent MPs.

A precondition for the election of a president is considered the completion of negotiations with the troika of Greece’s international creditors from the European Commission (EC), European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Deputies are also calling for the review of the Constitution and a general committment for national elections to be conducted within 2015. These terms have been agreed upon by DIMAR deputies, independent deputies as well as a number of socialist (PASOK) and conservative (ND) deputies of the coalition government. The latter two justify their position for elections in 2015 rather than summer of 2016 as a compromise so that a solution can be reached.

Independent deputy Katerina Markou on Thursday left open the possibility of a positive vote for socialist figure Paraskevas Avgerinos or conservative former minister Marietta Giannakou.

On his part Independent Greeks (ANEL) deputy Panagiotis Melas said that he is waiting for four deputies from his party that have the same view as his to discuss the possible candidates for president.

During the meeting for the evaluation of the Greek Constitution, conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras called on the Coalition of the Left (SYRIZA) party to participate in the national effort for this revision. He said that early elections due to lack of cohesion concerning the voting of the next president could result in the loss of this opportunity.