With today’s televised address, Kyriakos Mitsotakis officially opened the national dialogue for constitutional revision.
The prime minister proposes the revision of article 16 for the establishment of private universities, the revision of article 86 for the law on ministers’ liability, as well as changes to article 103 on permanence in the public sector, which he wishes to link with the evaluation of civil servants.
He also proposes changes in the way the leadership of the Judiciary is elected so that its independence is safeguarded, and also only one—6-year—term for the President of the Republic.
He also wants constitutional enshrinement of fiscal stability and of the obligation of parties to present a costed government programme.
In addition, it is noted that the current Constitution ignores or underestimates certain newer challenges, such as artificial intelligence and the climate crisis.
He called on PASOK to agree to the revision of the articles, so that they are deemed revisable by the current Parliament and amended by the next.
Finally, he called on PASOK to agree to the revision of the specific articles, so that they are deemed revisable by the current Parliament and amended by the next.
It is recalled that if the proposing (that is, the current) Parliament agrees to the revision of an article of the Constitution with 180 votes, the next and revising Parliament (which will result after the next elections) will be able to amend them with 151 votes.
Conversely, if the proposing Parliament deems an article of the Constitution revisable with 151 votes, then in the revising Parliament that will result after the next elections an increased majority of 180 votes will have to be gathered.
Sources: APE-MPE, Kathimerini, News247