Yesterday (17.02) Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras nominated Prokopis Pavlopoulos as presidential candidate. Addressing the ruling SYRIZA party parliamentary group, Tsipras said that the new President of the Republic has to have proven democratic sensitivity and a high sense of patriotic responsibility. The roll call vote for the election of the new President of the Republic will take place in parliament at 19:30 tonight. In the first round of voting, the candidate needs to win the support of 3/5 of the total number of deputies, i.e. 180.

The current government, which arose from the failure of the previous parliament to elect a president and the consequent declaration of national elections, will not have to collect the 200 votes required in the previous session. If no candidate collects 180 votes, the election must be repeated within five days. The winning candidate in that case will need the absolute majority of all deputies, or 151 votes. If that also fails, a third round is allowed - again within five days - between the two people who received most votes, and the round is won by the candidate who collects a majority.

Majority ruling party SYRIZA has proposed Prokopis Pavlopoulos, a former New Democracy minister; both junior coalition member Independent Greeks (ANEL) and former majority ruling party New Democracy (ND) have stated they will vote for him, making it almost certain he will win the vote. SYRIZA has 149 deputies, ND 76 and ANEL 13, totaling 238.

See also Greek News Agenda: Snap Election for Greeks in January & Presidential Election: Round One