1980 Greek presidential election explained

Election Name:1980 Greek presidential election
Country:Greece
Type:presidential
Vote Type:Indirect
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1975 Greek presidential election
Previous Year:1975
Election Date:23, 29 April and 5 May 1980
Next Election:1985 Greek presidential election
Next Year:1985
Nominee1:Konstantinos Karamanlis
Party1:New Democracy
Nominee2:Georgios Mylonas
Party2:KODISO
Nominee3:Leonidas Kyrkos
Party3:KKE Interior
Nominee4:Faidon Vegleris
Party4:United Democratic Left
President
Posttitle:President
Before Election:Konstantinos Tsatsos
Before Party:New Democracy
After Election:Konstantinos Karamanlis
After Party:New Democracy

An indirect election for the position of President of the Hellenic Republic was held by the Hellenic Parliament in April–May 1980.

The ruling New Democracy under Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis possessed only 175 votes in the 300-strong parliament, falling short of the required number for a straightaway election (200 votes in the first two rounds, 180 in the third).[1] Karamanlis, who was aware of PASOK's electoral upswing and the imminence of its coming to power—as indeed happened in the 1981 elections—preferred to move to the presidency of the Republic, which at the time still held considerable powers.[2] He therefore resigned as Prime Minister to stand for the presidency, being succeeded as Prime Minister by Georgios Rallis.

Several candidates were put forward by minor parties alongside Karamanlis, including Georgios Mylonas (KODISO), Leonidas Kyrkos (KKE Interior), Ioannis Zigdis (EDIK), Stelios Papathemelis, Ilias Iliou and Faidon Vegleris (United Democratic Left).[1] Karamanlis received 179 votes and 180 votes in the first and second ballot respectively,[2] and was elected on the third ballot with 183 votes, i.e. the 175 MPs of New Democracy as well as eight independent MPs or MPs from the minor parties.[1]

Overview

Votes  23 April     29 April     5 May  
Konstantinos Karamanlis (ND)179181183
Georgios Mylonas (KODISO)433
Leonidas Kyrkos (KKE Interior)111
Faidon Vegleris (EDA)111
Nikitas Venizelos (EDIK)3
Ilias Iliou (EDA)1
Stelios Papathemelis (Independent)1
Ioannis Zigdis (EDIK)4
Blank ballot151312
Refusal to vote929794
Absent432
Total300300300

Notes and References

  1. News: Οι προεδρικές εκλογές από τον Στασινόπουλο στον Παπούλια . in.gr . Greek . 2010 . 4 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141213014424/http://archive.in.gr/news/reviews/placeholder.asp?lngReviewID=598581&lngChapterID=598606&lngItemID=599680 . 13 December 2014 . dead .
  2. News: 1974-2015: Οι Πρόεδροι της Δημοκρατίας, οι ψήφοι και οι συσχετισμοί των κομμάτων . in.gr . Greek . 18 February 2015 . 18 February 2015.