Parliament: The «300» of the elections of 21 May 2023 have been sworn in

The Parliament resulting from the elections of 21 May 2023 was sworn in before the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou. Tomorrow, however, after the election of the presidency of the body, it is expected to be dissolved by Presidential Decree, following the establishment of the impossibility of forming an independent or coalition government, and the announcement of new elections on 25 June 2023 under the system of enhanced proportional representation.

It is noted that during the recent elections, which were held under the system of proportional representation, five parties entered the Parliament, exceeding the relevant “threshold” of 3%. The New Democracy with 40,79%, which elected 146 deputies, SYRIZA-PS with 20,07% and 71 deputies, PASOK-Movement for Change with 11,46% and 41 deputies, KKE with 7,23% and 26 deputies, and Hellenic Solution, with 4,45% and 16 deputies.

This is the second «fleeting» Parliament in the country's post-war history, after the two-day Parliament that emerged from the polls on 6 May 2012.

The solemn first session of the ninth term of the Presidential Parliamentary Republic began with a holy water ceremony performed by the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronymos. Subsequently, the Members of Parliament took the oath prescribed by the Constitution, in accordance with the type of religion of each Member of Parliament or political oath.

Hieronymos: Be fruitful, with courage and strength

My wish is taken from the words of the Apostle: “May they not be fruitless” but fruitful, Archbishop Jerome said after the consecration, and continued: “Hearty, with courage and strength, as today's circumstances demand!”.

After their swearing-in, the MPs signed the relevant oath of office protocol and received an information folder containing - among other things - the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament.

Today's meeting was chaired by the re-elected MP of Athens and first deputy speaker of the previous Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, who announced to the body which parliamentary seats were chosen by the leaders of the parties: New Democracy President Kyriakos Mitsotakis the seat of Thessaloniki, SYRIZA-PS President Alexis Tsipras the seat of Piraeus, PASOK-Movement for Change President Nikos Androulakis the seat of Thessaloniki, KKE Secretary Dimitris Koutsoubas the seat of Fthiotida, and Hellenic Solution President Kyriakos Velopoulos the seat of Larissa.

The election of the Speaker of the Parliament, as well as three Vice-Presidents, two Deans and four Secretaries from the first Parliamentary Group in power, one Vice President, one Dean and one Secretary from the second Parliamentary Group in power, one Vice President and one Secretary from the third Parliamentary Group in power, and one Vice President from the remaining two Parliamentary Groups is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 10:30 am.

The President of the New Democracy party, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has re-nominated for the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives Konstantinos Tasoulas, MP of Ioannina, Nikitas Kaklamanis, MP of Athens, for the first vice-president, Charalambos Athanasiou, MP of Lesvos, for the second vice-president, and Athanasios Bouras, MP of West Attica, for the third vice-president.

The president of SYRIZA-PS, Alexis Tsipras proposed for the second vice-president the MP of Ioannina, Meropi Tzoufi. The President of PASOK-Movement for Change re-nominated MP Odysseas Konstantinopoulos of Arcadia for the position of Vice President. For the position of f’ vice-president, the secretary of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas re-nominated the MP of Larissa George Lambroulis, while for the position of g’ vice-president, the president of Hellenic Solution nominated the MP of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Hitas.

Petros Dimitropoulos