Konstantinos Tasoulas was elected President of the Republic on Wednesday morning. In the fourth round of voting, he received 160 votes from Members of Parliament, surpassing the required 151 “yes” votes.

With this election, Konstantinos Tasoulas becomes the 9th President of the Hellenic Republic and is expected to be sworn in on March 13, when the term of the current President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, comes to an end.

As announced by the Speaker of Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, the results of today’s vote were as follows:

– Konstantinos Tasoulas: 160 votes
– Tasos Giannitsis: 34 votes
– Louka Katseli: 29 votes
– Kostas Kyriakou: 14 votes
– 39 MPs voted “present”
– 24 MPs were absent

“White smoke” on the election of Konstantinos Tasoulas to the highest statewide office of President of the Republic is expected to be released today by the Parliament.

The special session is scheduled for 10 a.m. with the threshold for the election of the new president falling to 151 MPs. This follows three “fruitless” votes on 25/01, 31/01 and 06/02 which, however, showed that Tasoulas’ candidacy has “locked in” the support of 160 deputies out of the 156 New Democracy cadres, former Prime Minister Anthony Samaras and independent deputies Mario Salma, Pavlos Sarakis and Charis Katsivardas.

Change in the battle between Katseli and Giannitsis

On the other hand, the informal contest between the candidates proposed by Syriza and PASOK is headed for a last-minute upset. New Left’s decision to abstain from the process brings down the “pros” of Ms. Luka Katseli at 29 (26 SYRIZA and the 3 independents Athina Linou, Areti Papaioannou, Yannis Sarakiotis) against 34 votes for the Harilaou Trikoupis nominee, Tassos Giannitsis (31 from PASOK and the 3 independents Petros Pappas, Rania Thraskia, Baran Baran). The first 3 votes recorded a “score” of 40-34 in favour of Katseli’s candidacy, however history and official minutes will record that the PASOK candidate came second in votes.

The Kostas Kyriakou proposal submitted by the Niki party’s CO is expected to receive 14 positive votes from the 10 Victory Party deputies and independents Dionysis Valtogiannis, Giorgos Manousos, Giannis Dimitrokallis and Kostas Floros.

“Present” will probably vote 45 MPs from KKE (21 MPs), Hellenic Solution (11 MPs), Plefsi Eleftherias (6 MPs), Spartans (5 MPs) as well as Michalis Gavgiotakis, Giorgos Aspiotis and 11 from the New Left, those affiliated to the Movement for Democracy (Ralia Christidou, Kyriaki Malama, Theodora Tzakri, Alexandros Avlonitis), Giota Poulou, Michalis Hourdakis) and Evangelos Apostolakis (from SYRIZA) will abstain.

Office 258 and the March 13 swearing-in

Immediately after the completion of the procedure, the Speaker of the Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, will go to office 258 on the 2nd floor of the Parliament in order to meet Mr. Tasoulas and announce the result of the vote that makes him the 9th President of the Hellenic Republic.

This office is located in the wing that has been allocated to the parliamentary group of the New Democracy and until a few years ago “housed” former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis.

The swearing-in of the new President of the Republic before the members of the national delegation will take place on March 13, 2025, when the term of the outgoing President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, expires.