Greek parliament fails to elect new President in 2nd round of voting

Athens, Feb 1 (IANS) The Greek parliament failed to elect the country's next President in the second round of voting.

A majority of 200 votes in the 300-seat parliament was needed for one of the four candidates to assume the post. All 300 members of parliament participated in the voting on Friday. Today's attempt followed an inconclusive voting on January 25.

Constantine Tassoulas, former parliament speaker and nominee of the ruling conservative New Democracy party, received 160 votes, like in the first round. The other three candidates each secured less than 50 votes again, Xinhua news agency reported.

A third round is scheduled for February 6, the parliament speaker said, with the threshold lowered to 180 votes in line with the Greek constitution.

If no candidate achieves the required votes in the third round, a simple majority of 151 votes is required in the fourth round. Based on the voting so far, political analysts here expect that Tassoulas will emerge as the winner in this round.

If no candidate secures the required minimum in the fourth round, in the fifth and final round of voting, the president will be elected with a relative majority.

The term of outgoing President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, former head of Greece's highest administrative court, expires in March.

According to the Greek Constitution, a minimum of 200 votes out of the total 300 members of the assembly are required in the first round to elect a president, as well as in the second round. In the third and fourth the threshold is 180 votes, while in the fifth and final round a simple majority of 151 votes.

According to the Greek constitution, the country's president is elected for a five-year term and can be re-elected only once.

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