Greece elects conservative Tassoulas as president despite protests

Konstantinos Tasoulas was elected on Wednesday as Greece's new president in the fourth round of voting in the country's parliament.

The Greek parliament held its fourth round of voting to determine the successor to President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, whose term expires in March, the Greek daily Tovima reported.

Tasoulas, the candidate from the ruling New Democracy party, competed against Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) candidate Tasos Giannitsis, Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) candidate Louka Katseli, and Victory Party candidate Kostas Kyriakou.

Out of the 300-seat parliament, 276 lawmakers participated in the vote. Tasoulas secured 160 votes, surpassing the required 151-vote threshold in the fourth round.

Giannitsis received 34 votes, Katseli 29, and Kyriakou 14, while 39 lawmakers abstained. Having won the election, Tasoulas is set to be sworn in on March 13, succeeding Sakellaropoulou.

The election reached a fourth round after no candidate secured the necessary votes in the initial three rounds.

Upon being nominated for the presidency by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Tasoulas had to step down from his parliamentary speaker role.

In Greece, the president holds a largely ceremonial role.

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Source: TRT