Konstantinos Tasoulas has taken office as Greece’s ninth president since the fall of the dictatorship and abolition of the monarchy.
After swearing in before the Archbishop of Athens at Parliament, Tasoulas laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before heading to the Presidential Palace, where he officially took over from Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
“I sincerely wish you success in your role. Your tenure as parliament speaker and long political career, marked by values and democratic consensus, will serve you well,” said outgoing president Sakellaropoulou.
Tasoulas pledged to uphold national unity and backed a proposed initiative to strengthen Europe’s defense capabilities amid rising security threats.
“The evolving global landscape demands that Greece safeguards its national and social cohesion while remaining an active player in international structures,” he stated.
The swearing-in wasn’t without controversy—two parties boycotted proceedings in protest against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ appointment of Tasoulas.
Born in 1959, Tasoulas is a seasoned politician. He has served as Deputy Minister of National Defense (2007), Minister of Culture and Sports (2014), and three-time Speaker of the Greek Parliament since 2019. He stepped down from this role in January after Mitsotakis nominated him for the presidency.
