The clock is ticking for the election of the new Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, scheduled for Wednesday, at 12:00 noon. The election process will involve a nominal electronic vote.
Members of Parliament (MPs) who do not wish to support the sole candidate, Nikitas Kaklamanis, a member of the ruling conservative party, must register as "present," as the procedure does not allow for a negative vote. The Speaker will be elected with an absolute majority of 151 votes out of the total 300 MPs.
Political parties are gearing up for the vote in Parliament’s Plenary, with the prevailing sentiment indicating that Nikitas Kaklamanis will secure a broad majority. Along with the 156 MPs of the ruling New Democracy (ND) party, four opposition parties have also expressed their support for his candidacy.
The main opposition, the center-left PASOK party, and the left-wing SYRIZA party have decided to vote in favor of Kaklamanis, as have smaller opposition parties such as the right-wing Greek Solution and the Spartans. Kaklamanis, previously serving as Parliament’s Vice President, has been widely recognized for his impartiality, which has garnered cross-party respect.
On the other hand, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and parties from the New Left, Victory, and Plefsi Eleftherias (Course to Freedom) have announced their intention to vote "present." Plefsi Eleftherias leader Zoe Konstantopoulou has confirmed her party’s stance.
Among the 23 independent MPs, those with ties to New Democracy have split opinions. Antonis Samaras has declared his support for Kaklamanis, while Marios Salmas remains undecided. Former SYRIZA MPs who joined Stefanos Kasselakis’ faction, including Avlonitis, Malama, Poulou, Tzakri, and Christidou, are expected to vote in favor, as are Yiannis Sarakiotis and Petros Pappas. Other independents, such as Evangelos Apostolakis, Athena Linou, and Rania Threskia, are also likely to support Kaklamanis.
Former PASOK MP Baran Burhan, former Greek Solution MP Pavlos Sarakis, and two former Plefsi Eleftherias MPs, Michalis Chourdakis and Areti Papaioannou, are anticipated to cast affirmative votes. Support is also expected from former Spartan MPs Haris Katsivardas, Michalis Gaviotakis, and Giorgos Aspiotis, who have recently aligned themselves with ND policies.
Based on current alignments, Nikitas Kaklamanis is expected to secure between 242 and 248 votes in favor, with up to 52 MPs voting "present." While unlikely to break the record of 283 affirmative votes achieved by Constantine Tassoulas in 2019, Kaklamanis’ anticipated majority underscores significant parliamentary consensus for his leadership.
