Greece Nominates Parliament Speaker Constantine Tassoulas as Next President

Greece’s conservative government nominated Parliament Speaker Constantine Tassoulas as the country’s next president on Wednesday.

Tassoulas, a 65-year-old lawyer and member of the centre-right New Democracy party, is a prominent advocate for the return of the Parthenon sculptures from the British Museum. He previously served as culture minister, playing a key role in revitalizing Greece’s campaign to reclaim the iconic Parthenon Sculptures.

During his tenure, Tassoulas hosted lawyer Amal Clooney in Athens, who supported Greece’s efforts to return the sculptures. Clooney, married to actor George Clooney, helped garner international attention for the cause.

The Parthenon sculptures, removed from Athens by British diplomat Lord Elgin in the early 1800s, have been housed in the British Museum ever since. Greece argues that their removal was unlawful and has long sought their return to be displayed alongside other Parthenon artifacts in Athens. With the U.K. Labour government expressing more openness to loan agreements, Greek officials believe the sculptures' return may now be within reach. Ongoing negotiations could include plans for rotating exhibitions of ancient Greek artifacts at the British Museum.

The Greek presidency is largely ceremonial, with the president elected for a five-year term by the 300 members of Parliament. The election may require up to five rounds of voting: 200 votes are needed in the first two rounds, 180 in the third, and a simple majority of 151 in the fourth.

The New Democracy party holds 156 seats in Parliament, while the centre-left PASOK controls 31 and the left-wing SYRIZA has 26. Opposition parties have criticized the nomination of Tassoulas, a political conservative, as a missed opportunity to build consensus.

The first round of voting is set for January 25.

Tassoulas called the nomination a “supreme honour and responsibility”. They emphasized the importance of national unity, noting that “increasingly turbulent and uncertain times in our region and globally” make it crucial to preserve harmony in state institutions for the country's stability and prosperity.

President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Greece’s first female head of state, was not nominated for a second term.