Greece's parliament elected its former speaker, Constantine Tassoulas, as the country's president on Wednesday, approving the conservative government's nominee for the largely ceremonial role,
Reuters reports.
The decision to nominate him has angered protesters who rallied outside parliament last month seeking justice over a deadly 2023 train crash. They say that on Tassoulas' watch as parliamentary speaker, lawmakers failed to investigate any political responsibility over Greece's worst rail disaster.
Two years later, a judicial probe is still in progress. Parliament is the only body that can investigate politicians under Greek law.
Tassoulas, 66, a lawyer and father of two who has been a lawmaker since 2000 and has previously served as Greece's culture minister and deputy defence minister, won the backing of 160 lawmakers in Wednesday's vote in the 300-seat parliament.
He will succeed Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Greece's first female president, whose five-year term expires in March.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said last month that he chose Tassoulas on account of his political experience, widespread acceptance, and his "unifying spirit".
Political analysts view Tassoulas' nomination as aimed at strengthening Mitsotakis' grip on power. His conservative New Democracy party has a small parliamentary majority with 156 seats but is under mounting pressure, opinion polls suggest.
