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President of Greece

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President of the Hellenic Republic
Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας
Coat of arms used by the President and Military
Incumbent
Katerina Sakellaropoulou

since 13 March 2020
StyleHer Excellency
ResidencePresidential Mansion, Athens
AppointerHellenic Parliament
Term length5 years
renewable once
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Greece
Inaugural holderMichail Stasinopoulos (Third Republic)
Formation18 December 1974
Salary€138,732 annually[1]
Websitehttp://www.presidency.gr/

The President of the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας, Próedros ti̱s Elli̱nikí̱s Di̱mokratías) is the head of state of Greece. The President is elected by the Hellenic Parliament.

His role is mostly ceremonial since the 1986 constitutional reform. The office was formally established by the Constitution of Greece in 1975. The current president, since 2020, is Katerina Sakellaropoulou, serving her first term in office. She is also the first female president.

Oath of office

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Before taking office, the President must recite an oath before Parliament:

"I swear in the name of the Holy, Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity to safeguard the Constitution and the laws, to ensure their faithful observance, to defend the national independence and territorial integrity of the Country, to protect the rights and liberties of the Greeks and to serve the general interest and the progress of the Greek People."

List of presidents of the Third Republic

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President Term of office Political party
Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office
1 Michail Stasinopoulos
Μιχαήλ Στασινόπουλος
(1903–2002)
18 December 1974 19 July 1975 213 days New Democracy
Writer and jurist, former President of the Council of State. Supported by New Democracy, he was elected unopposed by the ND-dominated parliament resulting from the 17 November 1974 election and following the definitive abolition of the Greek monarchy in the 8 December 1974 referendum, with 206 votes on the first ballot.
2 Konstantinos Tsatsos
Κωνσταντίνος Τσάτσος
(1899–1987)
19 July 1975 10 May 1980 4 years, 296 days New Democracy
Jurist and cabinet minister with the National Radical Union and New Democracy. Elected by the 1974 Parliament on the first ballot with 210 votes against Panagiotis Kanellopoulos.
3 Konstantinos Karamanlis
Κωνσταντίνος Γ. Καραμανλής
(1907–1998)
10 May 1980 10 March 1985
(resigned.)
4 years, 304 days New Democracy
Prime Minister as leader of the National Radical Union in 1955–1963 and again as leader of New Democracy since 1974. Supported by ND, KODISO and KKE Interior, he was elected by the ND-dominated 1977 parliament on the third ballot with 183 votes against seven other candidates put forward by minor parties. Resigned before the end of his term due to his falling out with Andreas Papandreou and PASOK's decision not to support him for a second term in 1985.
- Ioannis Alevras
Ιωάννης Αλευράς
(1912–1995)
10 March 1985 30 March 1985 20 days PASOK
PASOK MP and Speaker of Parliament, he substituted for Karamanlis following his early resignation.
4 Christos Sartzetakis
Χρήστος Σαρτζετάκης (1929–2022)
30 March 1985 4 May 1990 5 years, 35 days Independent
Jurist, famous for his role in investigating the Lambrakis assassination. He was supported by PASOK and KKE, and was elected unopposed by the PASOK-dominated 1981 Parliament on the third ballot with 180 votes.
(3) Konstantinos Karamanlis
Κωνσταντίνος Γ. Καραμανλής
(1907–1998)
5 May 1990 10 March 1995 4 years, 310 days New Democracy
The November 1989 Parliament failed to elect a President after three ballots, with the votes of PASOK being split between incumbent Christos Sartzetakis and Ioannis Alevras, leading to its dissolution and snap elections. Karamanlis did not present himself as a candidate during the first three ballots, but was put forward by New Democracy after the elections. He was elected by the new 1990 Parliament on the fifth ballot with 153 votes, opposed by PASOK-sponsored Ioannis Alevras and Konstantinos Despotopoulos (Synaspismos).
5 Konstantinos Stephanopoulos
Κωνσταντίνος Στεφανόπουλος
(1926–2016)
10 March 1995 12 March 2005 10 years, 2 days Independent
National Radical Union and New Democracy MP and cabinet minister, after 1985 leader of the breakaway Democratic Renewal party. Supported by PASOK and Political Spring, he was elected by the PASOK-dominated 1993 Parliament on the third ballot with 181 votes, against ND's candidate Athanasios Tsaldaris [el]. His re-election in 2000 was by the PASOK-dominated 1996 Parliament, as a joint candidate of PASOK and ND, standing against Synaspismos' Leonidas Kyrkos.
6 Karolos Papoulias
Κάρολος Παπούλιας
(1929–2021)
12 March 2005 13 March 2015 10 years, 1 day PASOK
PASOK MP and cabinet minister. He was elected unopposed for his first term by the New Democracy-dominated 2004 Parliament as a joint candidate of ND and PASOK on the first ballot with 279 votes. Re-elected unopposed for a second term in 2010 by the PASOK-dominated 2009 Parliament as a joint candidate of PASOK, ND and LAOS on the first ballot with 266 votes.
7 Prokopis Pavlopoulos
Προκόπης Παυλόπουλος
(born 1950)
13 March 2015 13 March 2020 5 years, 0 days New Democracy
New Democracy MP and cabinet minister. The previous ND-PASOK coalition failed to elect Stavros Dimas on the first three rounds, leading to new elections, which were won by SYRIZA. Supported by SYRIZA, ANEL and ND, Pavlopoulos was elected by the new 2015 Parliament on the fourth ballot with 233 votes, opposed by the candidate of The River and PASOK Nikos Alivizatos.
8 Katerina Sakellaropoulou
Κατερίνα Σακελλαροπούλου
(born 1956)
13 March 2020 Incumbent 4 years, 229 days Independent
President of the Council of State from 2018 to 2020, she was elected on 22 January 2020, supported by New Democracy, SYRIZA and KINAL. She is the first woman holding the office of President of Greece.

Living former presidents

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There is only one living former Greek president:

References

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  1. Κούρεμα 50% στο μισθό του Προέδρου της Δημοκρατίας (in Greek). protothema.gr. 14 September 2012.

Other websites

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Media related to Presidents of Greece at Wikimedia Commons