In Greece, the conservative government announced on Wednesday that it has nominated Parliament Speaker Constantine Tassoulas to be the next president of the country. Tassoulas, a prominent supporter of the attempt to retrieve the Parthenon sculptures from the British Museum, is a 65-year-old attorney affiliated with the ruling center-right New Democracy party. He previously served as culture minister, where he played a significant role in revitalizing Greece’s efforts to reclaim the ancient Parthenon Marbles.
During his time in office as culture minister, Tassoulas worked closely with notable figures such as lawyer Amal Clooney, who visited Athens to bolster Greece’s campaign for the return of the sculptures. Clooney, who is married to actor George Clooney, was instrumental in raising global awareness about Greece’s long-standing desire to bring home the artifacts.
The Parthenon sculptures were taken from the Acropolis in Athens by the British diplomat Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and have been housed in the British Museum ever since. The Greek government argues that their removal was unlawful and insists on reuniting them with the other Parthenon relics exhibited in a museum situated in the Greek capital. Furthermore, Greek officials hold the belief that the return of these sculptures is now more achievable, given the U.K. Labour government’s openness to discussions regarding potential loan agreements. Conversations are ongoing about arrangements that could include temporary exhibitions of ancient Greek artifacts at the British Museum.
The role of the Greek president is primarily ceremonial, with the election of the president occurring every five years by the nation’s 300 lawmakers. This process can involve as many as five voting rounds. To win in the initial two rounds, a candidate must secure 200 votes, while in the third round the threshold lowers to 180 and descends to a simple majority of 151 votes in the fourth round.
Currently, the New Democracy party holds 156 seats in Parliament, while the center-left PASOK party has 31 seats and the left-wing SYRIZA party has 26. The nomination of Tassoulas has prompted criticism from opposition parties, who perceive it as an indication of a missed chance for building consensus by nominating someone from the political right.
The first voting round is slated to take place on January 25. In light of his nomination, Tassoulas expressed that it is both a “supreme honor and responsibility.” He emphasized the importance of maintaining national cohesion and ensuring that state institutions function effectively, especially given the increasingly volatile and uncertain global and regional landscape. It is worth noting that the current president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, who made history as the first woman to occupy the position, was not nominated for another term.
