Constitutional review debate highlights different outlooks
The debate within ruling SYRIZA over the revision of Greece’s Constitution has revealed differences in outlook with regard to the election of the president and the division of Church and state.
Among the many views about the post of president is one put forward by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras back in 2016 – namely that the appointment will be made directly by the people if Parliament fails after three votes to do so.
Another view is that the appointment must be made with a 151 majority in the 300-seat Parliament – compared to the current rule that stipulates 180 votes.
Another point of contention is the separation of Church and state and whether to include a phrase that mentions that Orthodox Christianity is historically the country’s dominant religion.
Those backing the inclusion of the phrase say that, unlike the French Revolution in 1789, the Greek Revolution in 1821 that gave birth to the modern Greek state was also based on the Orthodox religion.
