Greece gets its first woman president
Greece has its first woman president after Katerina Sakellaropoulou was elected by a large cross-party majority in the Greek parliament on Wednesday. But not all Greek media see this as a sign of progress.
A victory for democracy
Ta Nea is pleased that Sakellaropoulou was voted in so convincingly:
“This day is historic as Parliament elected the first woman President of the Hellenic Republic in the first round of voting with a large majority. This victory for democracy is a result of the nomination of the prime minister who made good on his pledge, ignored the pressures of the old system, transcended divisions, and tabled a progressive and bold proposal that could forge a broad parliamentary consensus. It is also the result of the stance of the main opposition Syriza party and the centre-left Movement for Change. The two parties set aside partisan considerations and signed on to this institutional choice.”
The right woman in the wrong postion
Tvxs believes that Sakellaropoulou, who was named President of the Council of State by the previous left-wing government in 2018 despite the opposition of Nea Dimokratia, could achieve much more in that role:
“The withdrawal of a progressive judge like Sakellaropoulou will be greeted with enthusiasm by a government with an outdated and often obscurantist notion of the rule of law and the separation of powers. ... Especially since her successor can be described as ultra-conservative. ... The country may be getting a progressive president, but at the same time the Nea Dimokratia government seems very pleased, because the very same person will no longer be at the helm of the Council of State.”