President of Greece

President of Greece. The President of the Hellenic Republic is the ceremonial head of state of Greece and the commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The office was established by the Greek Constitution of 1975 following the collapse of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 and the restoration of democracy. The president's role is largely non-partisan and representative, with most executive power vested in the Prime Minister of Greece and the Hellenic Parliament.

History and establishment

The modern presidency emerged from the constitutional reforms following the Metapolitefsi, the period of political transition after the fall of the Regime of the Colonels. The current Third Hellenic Republic was formally established, replacing the previous Kingdom of Greece which had been abolished by the 1973 Greek republic referendum. The framers of the Greek Constitution of 1975, influenced by the instability of the past, designed a parliamentary republic with a strengthened premiership. Key figures in this process included Constantine Karamanlis, who returned from exile to lead the New Democracy (Greece) party and served as the first prime minister of the new republic. Earlier Greek heads of state included the kings of the House of Glücksburg and the short-lived presidency of Phaedon Gizikis during the junta.

Election and term of office

The president is elected by the Hellenic Parliament to a five-year term, with the possibility of one re-election. The election is conducted by secret ballot and requires a supermajority; a candidate must secure a two-thirds majority in the first two ballots, or a three-fifths majority in the third. If these thresholds are not met, parliament is dissolved and a new election is called, after which a simple majority suffices. This process was notably tested during the election of Prokopis Pavlopoulos in 2015. The president must be a Greek citizen for at least five years, be of Greek descent from their father's or mother's line, be at least 40 years old, and be eligible to vote. The office is incompatible with any other position or employment.

Powers and duties

Constitutionally, the president's powers are mostly exercised on the advice of the Government of Greece or the Hellenic Parliament. Ceremonial duties include the opening of parliamentary sessions, the accreditation of foreign ambassadors, and the conferral of state honors like the Order of the Phoenix (Greece). The president formally appoints the prime minister, typically the leader of the majority party in parliament, and, upon the prime minister's recommendation, other members of the Cabinet of Greece. The president also has the power to proclaim referendums, grant pardons, and declare war, though these require countersignature by a minister. In times of national crisis, the president may summon meetings of the Council of the Republic (Greece) and, under strict conditions outlined in Article 48 of the constitution, address messages to the nation.

List of presidents

Since the office's inception, Greece has had eight presidents. The first was Michail Stasinopoulos, a legal scholar appointed by parliament in 1974. Notable presidents include Konstantinos Tsatsos, a close associate of Constantine Karamanlis; Christos Sartzetakis, a judge famous for his role in the Apostasia of 1965 and the Lambrakis investigation; and Karolos Papoulias, a former foreign minister who served two full terms. The first female president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, a former president of the Council of State (Greece), was elected in 2020 with broad cross-party support from New Democracy (Greece), Syriza, and Movement for Change.

Official residence and symbols

The president's official residence and primary workplace is the Presidential Mansion, Athens, located on Herodes Atticus Street in the capital. This neoclassical building, previously used as the Royal Palace, was originally constructed for Crown Prince Constantine in the late 19th century. The president is also associated with the Presidential Guard, the elite Evzones unit known for their distinctive uniform who stand guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Athens) and the Presidential Mansion. The official standard of the president features a square version of the Greek cross in blue on a white field, surrounded by a laurel wreath.