Group sends new letter seeking censure motion against Greek speaker
A group on Facebook which has been campaigning for the ouster of controversial Parliament Speaker Zoe Constantopoulou on Wednesday sent a second letter to the House in as many weeks, calling on MPs to submit a censure motion against her.
Noting that the campaign has secured the backing of 40,000 supporters, the authors called on Greek lawmakers to collaborate and gather the minimum of 50 signatures that is necessary for such a motion to be tabled against Constantopoulou.
A SYRIZA rebel who objects to the new austerity that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has signed up to, Constantopoulou has used her power to obstruct and delay votes on measures and on the latest Greek bailout in the House.
“The urgent priority is that the smooth functioning of parliamentary democracy is restored,” the campaigners said in the letter.
They expressed concern that the speaker could again move to disrupt a vote of confidence in the government or reduced summer sessions aimed at approving prior actions pledged to creditors, two options that Tsipras is said to be considering.
