Nikitas Kaklamanis was elected President of the Hellenic Parliament, with 247 votes out of a total of 297 Members of Parliament, on Wednesday January 22. Fifty MPs declared “present.”

Kaklamanis secured broad support, with votes from MPs representing New Democracy, PASOK, SYRIZA, Hellenic Solution, the Spartans, and a significant number of independents. Meanwhile, MPs from the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), New Left, NIKI (Victory), and Course of Freedom, along with several other independents, chose to declare ‘present’ during the vote.

Following the announcement of the result, Kaklamanis ascended the podium and delivered his first speech as the third-highest constitutional authority in the country.

“Your vote has united Parliament once again. I am deeply moved by your unwavering faith in me over all these years which proves that the integrity of my journey and my intentions was never questioned,” he stated

Addressing the parliament the newly-elected parliamentary president emphasized the need for unity.
Kaklamanis highlighted the dual responsibilities of the nation’s lawmakers.

He described the first as the honor and weight of responsibility entrusted to them by the Greek people, who granted them the right to serve. This right, he emphasized, comes with obligations that far outweigh the privilege it entails.

The second, he noted, is the gift of Parliamentary Democracy, a legacy that has traversed centuries of history and struggle to arrive in the hands of the present generation.

He explained, “This gift is Parliamentary Democracy, as an evolution of the Athenian model, which we have been called to serve.”

He continued by quoting Konstantinos Karamanlis on how Greeks lose in peace what they win in war, making reference to the times in history when the nation was driven to division due to political rivalries.

The president called upon the parliamentary body to prove Karamanlis wrong, stressing “There are no winners or losers, no small or large, no blue, green, or red factions, in this chamber. There are simply 300 individuals who can serve as role models for the Greek people.”

Present during the voting were the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and so was former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta (2013–2014). Former Greek Prime Ministers Antonis Samaras and Alexis Tsipras were also present in the plenary session.