President of Greece
The President of the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας ) is the head of state of the southern state of Greece. Acting President is Karolos Papoulias.
Constitutional position
According to the current 1975 Constitution, the President is the head of state. He represents the State under international law, and acts as the top political arbitration body.
Competencies
The President has, among others, the following powers and duties:
- He declared war, concludes peace and alliance treaties, agreements on economic cooperation and participation in international organizations or associations and shares this with the necessary explanations to the Parliament, as far as the interest and security of the state permit
- Parliament convenes once a year in ordinary session and as often as he deems it advisable for an extraordinary session of a
- Dismiss the government at their request or if Parliament has deprived her of the trust
- Can dissolve parliament if two governments are either resigned or were rejected by Parliament and if its composition does not ensure the stability of government
- Promulgates the laws adopted by the Parliament within one month of their approval
- May convene a referendum on important national issues as decided by an absolute majority of Members of Parliament
- With the prior authorization of the Prime Minister in exceptional circumstances addressed messages to the people
- Has the supreme command of the armed forces of the country, whose management has the government
- Bestows ranks to members of the armed forces
- Appoints and dismisses civil servants
- Has the right to adopt on a proposal from the Minister of Justice and after consultation of a majority of whose judges Council imposed sanctions by the courts to transform or reduce and reverse the effects of all kinds of penalties and unspent convictions
- Only with the consent of the Parliament the right to pardon a convicted Minister
Government formation
The President appoints the Prime Minister and appoints to its proposal, and he dismisses the other members of the Government and the Deputy Minister.
To the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the party is appointed in parliament, the absolute majority of seats. It has no party has an absolute majority, the President issued the chairman of the party with the relative majority of exploratory mission to explore the possibility of forming a government that enjoys the confidence of Parliament.
The failure of the first exploratory mission, the President gave the chairman of the second largest party an exploratory mission, this attempt remains unsuccessful, so he gives the president of the third largest parliamentary party an exploratory mission. Each exploratory job is valid for three days. If all exploratory orders unsuccessful, the President shall call together all the party leaders and strives for the formation of a represented from all parliamentary parties existing government to conduct elections. Also fails such a government, he appointed the President of the State Council or the Court of Cassation ( Areopagus ) or the Court of Auditors with the formation of a government on the broadest possible basis for conducting elections and he dissolves the parliament.
If a party has no chairman or deputy, or if it has not elected deputies, the President of the Group of the Party nominee given the order to form a government. The proposal for the award of the contract within three days after the Speaker or the Deputy Chairman has communicated the strength of the parties in Parliament to the President. This notification must be made prior to any grant of such an order. Do different parties the same number of seats in parliament, so with the orders of the exploratory party preference is given, which has received the most votes in the election. One of the newly founded party, forming a fraction according to the Rules of Procedure, the older with the same number of seats is preferred. In both cases, no more than four parties may be granted exploratory orders.
The Parliament may be dissolved by the President, if two governments have either resigned or were rejected by Parliament and if its composition does not ensure the stability of government. The elections are conducted by the government, which enjoys the confidence of the Parliament to be dissolved.
Choice
The President is elected for a term of five years. Re-election is permitted only for a second term.
You can chose any candidate, which at least five years of Greek citizen and paternal or maternal is of Greek descent, his fortieth years of age and has the right to vote for Parliament.
The President is elected by Parliament by secret ballot. The selection is made in a special meeting convened by the Speaker of Parliament at least one month before the end of the term of office of the incumbent President pursuant to these Rules of Procedure. Should Parliament be dissolved at the time of the presidential election in any way, then the election is postponed until the first meeting of the new Parliament and is made within 20 days. As chosen is someone who unites the majority of two -thirds of the total number of deputies to be.
If the required two-thirds majority, the vote will be repeated after five days in a second ballot. If no candidate elected in the second round of voting, then after further five days, a third ballot, in which only three-fifths of the deputies votes are needed for a successful election. Also suggests the third round of the election fails, the Parliament is dissolved within ten days and it will be advertised early elections. This emerged from the elections Parliament elects immediately after his first meeting of the President, by roll call vote by a majority of three-fifths of the deputies. Should also here again the required majority is not achieved, then a second ballot will be held again in five days, where at least half of the MPs vote only necessary for a successful election. Also fails this vote, then found again in five days, a third round of elections held in the start, only the two candidates with the most votes against each other. As chosen then applies the candidate who receives the relative majority of deputies votes.
If the procedure for the election of the new President not in time, be terminated as noted above, the president been in office on the exercise of his duties even after his term of office continued until the election of the new President.
The incumbent president resigns prematurely before the expiration of his term in office, then this may not participate in the election, on account of his resignation.
Swearing-in
The elected president has to give the following oath before taking office in Parliament:
" Oρκίζομαι Aγίας και στο όνομα της και Oμοούσιας Aδιαίρετης Tριάδας να φυλάσσω το Σύνταγμα και τους νόμους, να μεριμνώ για την πιστή τους τήρηση, να υπερασπίζω την εθνική ανεξαρτησία και την ακεραιότητα της Xώρας, να προστατεύω τα δικαιώματα και τις ελευθερίες των Eλλήνων και να υπηρετώ το γενικό συμφέρον και την πρόοδο του Eλληνικού Λαού. "
"I swear in the name of the saints, being peers and Indivisible Trinity to safeguard the Constitution and the laws providing for their faithful adherence to defend national independence and integrity of the country to protect the rights and liberties of the Greeks and the general to serve the interests of the Greek people. "
Representation
If the President is traveling more than ten days, absent or withdrawn, discontinued or prevented due to other reasons, represents him the President of Parliament or, if one does not exist, the President of the last Parliament, and if he refuses or does not exist, the government in their entirety.
While the delegate of the President of the provisions on the dissolution of Parliament are not in force, nor the provisions on the dismissal of the government and the tender of a referendum.
Takes the inability of the President to perform his duties beyond 30 days on which Parliament must be called even if it is dissolved. The Parliament then decides by a majority of three -fifths of the total number of deputies, whether a new election of the President is announced. However, the choice may not be delayed more than six months since launching due to inability occurred representation.
Immunity
The President has not held responsible for acts which he has made during the performance of his duties, except for treason and for willful violation of the Constitution. For actions which do not relate to the performance of his duties, the prosecution will be deferred until the end of his term.
Impeachment and removal from office
It may be a request to bring an indictment against the President of at least one third of the deputies are placed in Parliament. The proposal shall be considered adopted if at least two thirds of the Members voting in favor.
If a motion the necessary consent, the legal proceedings are initiated against the President. With the initiation of proceedings, the President of the performance of his duties and will contain correspond represented (see section on representation ). When an acquittal by the court, he starts work again, if his regular term of office has not expired in the meantime.