Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will today informally but substantially launch the constitutional revision process during a session of the New Democracy Parliamentary Group where up to 50 MPs are expected to speak. Several of these will raise objections and express dissatisfaction on a series of issues, starting from the functioning of the executive state and extending to the management of OPEKEPE issues, as well as the role of MPs. “Fire-fighting” interventions are expected from some ministers, while the overall assessment at the Maximos Mansion is that it will be a charged session, but without tensions or extremes.
New Democracy parliamentary session: Mitsotakis’s “institutional” speech and MPs’ positions
The session will begin at 11 AM with a speech by New Democracy Parliamentary Group Secretary Maximos Charakopoulos, who on Wednesday stated (on SKAI) that New Democracy “is a pluralistic party that respects different opinions when expressed within party organs.” This will be followed by Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s speech, which, as his associates emphasize, will be “deeply institutional,” focusing on Constitutional Revision. Immediately after, New Democracy’s rapporteur for the Revision, Evripidis Stylianidis, will take the floor to present the governing majority’s basic proposals, and then MPs will speak in a session expected to exceed four hours in duration.
As government sources emphasize, the proposal to be presented will essentially be the discussion basis for 30 constitutional articles for revision, which represents a synthesis of various thoughts the prime minister has expressed publicly at different times and proposals submitted by New Democracy MPs. Indicative of the great response from parliamentary group members, they point out, is the fact that more than 50 MPs have submitted proposals that formed the basis for the synthesis of the 30 articles to be presented, while approximately another 20 had verbal discussions with those participating in drafting the proposals.
Constitutional revision: The government’s three basic objectives
The same sources clarify that the package of articles to be presented in today’s session, which constitutes an update and complement to New Democracy’s 2018 proposal, is not binding and does not constitute New Democracy’s final proposal, as the government remains open to other suggestions or corrections, making this a dynamic process that will continue.
The prime minister and governing majority, launching the Constitutional Revision process, set three objectives: To restore citizens’ trust relationship with the state, institutions and political system; to ensure a functional and effective public administration; and to build a modern Constitution that will answer the challenges of 2026 rather than 1975, given that we have a 50-year-old constitutional charter that has served its purpose but does not respond to modern challenges, from Artificial Intelligence to affordable Housing, which today’s legislator must take into account, as they characteristically note from the Maximos Mansion.
What Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to say
In his remarks, Kyriakos Mitsotakis will refer to constitutional revision as a set of rules that provides a comprehensive solution to issues concerning the functioning of the political system and public life – issues from the past – and which also opens the path to major reforms, as the country moves toward the fourth decade of the 21st century. Additionally, the prime minister is expected to outline the Parliamentary Group’s duties regarding the Constitutional Revision, the New Democracy Congress on May 15-17, and the electoral year of 2027. He himself, according to his associates, places emphasis not on his own remarks but on what New Democracy MPs want to say. Finally, he is expected to speak about the opposition’s embarrassment regarding the institutional changes that New Democracy proposes.
Process launch in Parliament within May – The changes New Democracy will propose
The government’s intention is to launch the process in Parliament within May, when New Democracy will submit the relevant proposal, and then establish and begin by the end of the month.
Among the changes the governing party will propose, the following stand out, which appear to be formulated as follows:
Article 16: Establishment of universities by private entities is permitted under the supervision of an independent authority that will ensure conditions for high quality standards of provided studies. The autonomy and independence of public higher education institutions is guaranteed. Also, in school education “the state ensures the creation of model school structures.”
Article 30: The President of the Republic will be elected by Parliament for a six-year term and re-election of the same person will not be permitted.
Article 51: The electoral law may provide that voters outside the territory vote only for a party or coalition of parties or that up to five MPs are elected outside the territory.
Article 86: Ministers will be prosecuted by decision of a collective judicial body – possibly the Supreme Court Prosecutor’s Office – and not by Parliament, as happens today.
Article 90: Promotions to positions of supreme court presidents are made by a special parliamentary committee, selecting among the three most senior vice-presidents, without government intervention.
Article 103: Evaluation of public employees based on principles of impartiality, neutrality, professional competence and efficiency. Evaluation is also conducted by subordinates toward their superiors. ASEP may also participate in employee evaluation and development.
