President of Greece
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| President of the Hellenic Republic |
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 Great State Seal of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic |
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| Incumbent: Karolos Papoulias (took office: 12 March 2005) |
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| Term length | 5 years |
| Inaugural | Michail Stasinopoulos |
| Formation | 18 December 1974 |
| Website | www.presidency.gr |
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The President of the Republic (Greek: Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας), colloquially referred to in English as the President of Greece, is the elected head of state of Greece. The incumbent is Dr Karolos Papoulias.
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[edit] Powers
- Further information: Presidential Departments (Greece)
The President is the nominal Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and occupies the first place in the Greek order of precedence. His position however is largely ceremonial, as the President's powers were limited under the current Greek Constitution of 1974, and again curtailed in the Constitutional amendment of 1986. The Prime Minister of Greece is the active chief executive of the Greek government.
[edit] Election of the President
The President of the Republic is elected for five years by the Parliament (not through direct popular vote). Article 32 of the Greek Constitution provides that a President should be elected by roll call by a special session of Parliament and at least a month before the incumbent President is due to leave office in either one or two stages. The tenure of the President may be extended in the event of War or if the voting for a new President is not completed in time.
The first stage includes three separate ballots:
- First Ballot - 200 Votes
In the first ballot the votes of a two-thirds majority of the total number of Members of Parliament is required.
- Second Ballot - 200 Votes
If the said majority is not attained, the ballot is repeated after five days, the same majority being required.
- Third Ballot - 180 Votes
If once again the required majority is not attained, voting is repeated after five days, the person receiving the votes of a three-fifths majority of the total number of Members of Parliament shall be elected President of the Republic. If the third ballot also fails to produce the required majority, Parliament shall be dissolved within ten days of the vote and elections for a new Parliament shall be called.
The second stage of the procedure is conducted by the new Parliament as soon as it has constituted itself as a body and includes another three successive ballots:
- First Ballot - 180 Votes
In the first ballot the votes of a three-fifths majority of the total number of Members of Parliament is required.
- Second Ballot - 151 Votes
Should this majority not be attained, voting is repeated within five days and the person receiving an absolute majority of the votes of the total number of Members of Parliament shall be elected President of the Republic.
- Third Ballot
If the second ballot fails to produce the required majority, then within five days the third and final vote takes place between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. The person who receives a relative majority shall be elected President of the Republic.
[edit] Oath of Office
Before taking office, the President must recite an oath before Parliament:
"I swear in the name of the Holy, Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity to safeguard the Constitution and the laws, to ensure their faithful observance, to defend the national independence and territorial integrity of the Country, to protect the rights and liberties of the Greeks and to serve the general interest and the progress of the Greek People."
[edit] History of the office
- Further information: List of heads of state of Greece and History of the Hellenic Republic
[edit] List of Presidents
The Presidents of the Third Hellenic Republic (1974-today) are:
- Michail Stasinopoulos--December 18, 1974 - June 19, 1975 - Interim President, elected by the Parliament
- Constantine Tsatsos--June 19, 1975 - May 15, 1980 - Elected by the Parliament, one full (five-year) term
- Constantine Karamanlis--May 15, 1980 - March 10, 1985 - Elected by the Parliament, first term, resigned
- Ioannis Alevras--March 10, 1985 - March 30, 1985 - Speaker of the Parliament, President pro tempore
- Christos Sartzetakis--March 30, 1985 - May 4, 1990 - Elected by the Parliament, one full (five-year) term
- Constantine Karamanlis--May 4, 1990 - March 10, 1995 - Elected by the Parliament, second full (five-year) term
- Kostis Stephanopoulos--March 10, 1995 - March 12, 2005 - Elected by the Parliament, two consecutive five-year terms
- Karolos Papoulias--March 12, 2005 - present - Elected by the Parliament, incumbent
[edit] Official residence
The official residence of the President is the Presidential Palace, formerly the Royal Palace, in central Athens.
[edit] See also
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