President of Greece facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Hellenic Republic
Presidential standard
Incumbent Katerina Sakellaropoulou since 13 March 2020
Style	Her Excellency Ms. President (informal)
Seat	Presidential Mansion, Athens
Nominator	Parliamentary groups
Appointer	Hellenic Parliament
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Greece (1975)
Inaugural holder	Michail Stasinopoulos (Third Republic)
Formation	18 December 1974; 50 years ago (1974-12-18)
Deputy	President of the Hellenic Parliament
Salary	€138,732 annually

The President of Greece is the official head of state for the country. This means they are the top representative of Greece. The official name for the position is the President of the Hellenic Republic. In Greek, this is Próedros tis Ellinikís Dimokratías.

The President is chosen by the Hellenic Parliament, which is like Greece's main law-making body. Since 1986, the President's job has been mostly ceremonial. This means they perform important duties but the Prime Minister handles most of the daily government work. The role was officially created in 1975. The current President, since March 13, 2020, is Katerina Sakellaropoulou. She is the first woman to hold this important position in Greece.

What the President Does

The President is the official commander-in-chief of the Greek Armed Forces. This means they are the top leader of the military. They also hold the highest rank in the country's official order.

Even though the Greek Constitution of 1974 gave the President many powers on paper, in real life, the President's role has been mostly ceremonial. The Prime Minister is the main leader of the Greek government. The Prime Minister is the country's most active political figure. In 1986, the rules were officially changed to match how the job was already being done. This change reduced the President's official powers.

How the President is Chosen

The President is elected for a five-year term. The election happens in the Hellenic Parliament. This special election takes place at least one month before the current President's term ends.

The voting can happen in up to five rounds, with no more than five days between each round.

• For the first and second rounds, a candidate needs a "supermajority." This means 200 out of the 300 members of Parliament must vote for them.
• In the third round, the number drops to 180 votes.
• If no one is elected by then, the fourth round needs a "simple majority" of 151 votes.
• If it goes to a fifth and final round, the two candidates with the most votes compete. The one with more votes wins.

Taking the Oath

Before starting their job, the President must say a special promise called an oath. They say this oath in front of the Parliament. The oath is a serious promise to protect the country and its people.

The oath says:

I swear in the name of the Holy, Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity to safeguard the Constitution and the laws, to ensure their faithful observance, to defend the national independence and territorial integrity of the Country, to protect the rights and liberties of the Greeks and to serve the general interest and the progress of the Greek People.

What Happens if the President Can't Serve

If the President is temporarily away, for example, due to illness or travel, the Speaker of the Parliament steps in. The Speaker acts as President until the President returns.

If the President's job becomes permanently empty, for example, if they resign or pass away, the Speaker also takes over. They serve as acting President until a new President is elected. The last person to serve as Acting President was Ioannis Alevras in 1985.

Where the President Lives

The Presidential Mansion in Athens

The official home of the President of Greece is the Presidential Mansion. It is located in the center of Athens. It used to be called the New Royal Palace.

A Brief History of the Presidency

The current system in Greece, called the Third Hellenic Republic, started in 1974. This happened after a period of military rule ended.

In 1973, the leader of the military government, Georgios Papadopoulos, ended the Greek monarchy and declared himself President. A vote was held to confirm this change. However, another military leader, Dimitrios Ioannidis, took over later that year. He appointed Phaedon Gizikis as President, but Ioannidis held the real power.

After the military rule ended in 1974, Greece returned to civilian government. The changes made by the military government were cancelled. Another vote was held in December 1974, which confirmed that the monarchy would not return. Michail Stasinopoulos became the first elected President after this.

A new constitution was created in 1975. It stated that Greece would be a "presidential parliamentary democracy." This constitution has been updated several times and is still used today.

Presidents of the Third Hellenic Republic

President			Time in Office			Political Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Started Office	Left Office	How Long
1		Michail Stasinopoulos Μιχαήλ Στασινόπουλος (1903–2002)	18 December 1974	19 July 1975	213 days	New Democracy
			A writer and judge. He was elected without opposition by Parliament.
2		Konstantinos Tsatsos Κωνσταντίνος Τσάτσος (1899–1987)	19 July 1975	10 May 1980	4 years, 296 days	New Democracy
			A judge and government minister. He was elected by Parliament.
3		Konstantinos Karamanlis Κωνσταντίνος Καραμανλής (1907–1998)	10 May 1980	10 March 1985 (resigned)	4 years, 304 days	New Democracy
			Served as Prime Minister before becoming President. He resigned before his term ended.
–		Ioannis Alevras Ιωάννης Αλευράς (1912–1995)	10 March 1985	30 March 1985	20 days	PASOK
			A Member of Parliament and Speaker. He served as acting President after Karamanlis resigned.
4		Christos Sartzetakis Χρήστος Σαρτζετάκης (1929–2022)	30 March 1985	4 May 1990	5 years, 35 days	Independent
			A judge known for his investigations. He was elected by Parliament.
(3)		Konstantinos Karamanlis Κωνσταντίνος Καραμανλής (1907–1998)	5 May 1990	10 March 1995	4 years, 310 days	New Democracy
			Served a second term as President. He was elected by the new Parliament after a special election.
5		Konstantinos Stephanopoulos Κωνσταντίνος Στεφανόπουλος (1926–2016)	10 March 1995	12 March 2005	10 years, 2 days	Independent
			A Member of Parliament and minister. He was elected and then re-elected for a second term.
6		Karolos Papoulias Κάρολος Παπούλιας (1929–2021)	12 March 2005	13 March 2015	10 years, 1 day	PASOK
			A Member of Parliament and minister. He was elected for two terms without opposition.
7		Prokopis Pavlopoulos Προκόπης Παυλόπουλος (born 1950)	13 March 2015	13 March 2020	5 years	New Democracy
			A Member of Parliament and minister. He was elected by Parliament.
8		Katerina Sakellaropoulou Κατερίνα Σακελλαροπούλου (born 1956)	13 March 2020	Incumbent	5 years, 111 days	Independent
			A judge who became the first woman President of Greece. She was elected by Parliament.

See also

• List of heads of state of Greece