Greece: Parliament schedules second vote on constitutional amendments

The Hellenic Parliament has scheduled a second vote on constitutional amendments for Wednesday, September 16. This session serves as the final test for the current Parliament before the process moves to the next legislative body following national elections.

Key proposals under consideration include Article 86, which concerns the criminal liability of ministers and the potential removal of the Parliament's authority to conduct preliminary examinations. Other significant amendments involve the operation of non-state universities, changes to the selection process for senior judges, the removal of tenure permanence in the public sector, and a proposal to establish a single six-year term for the President of the Republic.

In the initial vote held in July, the government's proposals were supported primarily by New Democracy and some independent MPs. The opposition has maintained a stance against passing the government's specific proposals, with PASOK opting to be ‘present’ for certain articles deemed in need of revision. For amendments to proceed to a final third vote in the next Parliament, they must secure at least 180 votes.