PM lining up greater powers for president

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is to propose that the president of the republic should be given much greater powers as part of the constitutional reform the government wants to carry out.

Kathimerini understands that Tsipras is considering giving the Greek president the same authority he had under the 1975 Constitution. This would mean that the president could block draft legislation, nominate a prime minister if there is a hung parliament and initiate referendums for issues of national importance.

Tsipras is also said to be considering allowing Greeks to elect their president directly, rather than leaving the duty to Parliament. However, Tsipras is not expected to allow the president to have the authority to dissolve Parliament, as he did in 1975.