Greek parliament fails to elect new president in 1st round

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Greece’s parliament on Saturday failed to elect a new president in the first round of voting.

Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas, nominated for the presidency by the ruling center-right New Democracy party (ND), got 160 votes, 40 less than needed for an outright win.

Louka Katseli, 72, an economist and politician backed by the leftist SYRIZA and New Left Party, secured 40 votes as Tasos Giannitsis, 80, a veteran politician supported by the main opposition party PASOK, garnered 34 votes.

Kostas Kyriakou of the far-right Niki party got 14 votes.

A second round of voting, where the winner will again need to secure the backing of 200 lawmakers to be elected, is set for next Friday.

In Greece, the prime minister is the country’s leading political figure, while the president has lesser powers as well as a ceremonial role.