The discussion of Constitutional review returns to the forefront, with the prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to emphasize the need to modify the Article 103 concerning the permanence of civil servants. During his meeting with the President of the Republic, Mr. Mitsotakis described this change as ‘Institutional guarantee of the concept of evaluation’ in the State. The aim, he said, is to reward consistent and workers’ employees, as well as the possibility of removing those who systematically do not meet the requirements of their position, without constitutional impediment.
Expanding the articles to review
In addition to Article 103, the Government is expanding the cycle of constitutional review, including other critical articles:
- Article 16: It concerns non -state universities, an issue that has caused extensive discussions.
- Article 86: It relates to the responsibility of ministers, a issue that is often at the heart of the political confrontation.
- Article 24: It is about the environment and spatialism, emphasizing the government’s priority on these issues.
The prime minister called on the parties to approach the debate with “required institutional responsibility”, stressing that constitutional revisions must build bridges rather than creating new faults. For his part, the President of the Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, underlined the importance of a ‘Consensual’ Discussion, which, although it does not mean absolute agreement, must be characterized by analogy and style.
Economic reforms and political stakes
Along with the institutional changes, the government road map also includes economic reforms. Speaking to CNBC, the prime minister referred to the need for Further tax reduction, wage increase and job creationstressing that this must be done “in a sustainable way”. He expressed his optimism about attracting foreign investment and defined the political stakes of the time, aiming to prove the ability of traditional parties to implement their commitments over populism.
Heavy reactions from the opposition
The proposal to review Article 103 caused criticism from the opposition parties. PASOK President, Nikos AndroulakisHe described the New Democracy’s proposal as a “firework”, stressing that PASOK is seeking a public at the standards of major European countries, where there is permanentness, but also strict evaluation and meritocracy.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Kostis Hatzidakis, announced the expansion of the efficiency bonus and reinforce the evaluation in the State, stressing that the intention is not punitive, but aims to address the issue of meritocracy and accountability. Government spokesman, Pavlos Marinakis, called on the opposition to receive ‘Clean positions’ For Article 103.
SYRIZA-PS President Socrates Famelos accused the prime minister of “depreciation and sale of the State”, while the Secretary General of the CC. of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoubas, spoke of “cheap communication tricks” aimed at convincing the people that civil servants are responsible for the problems. Corresponding criticism was expressed by Kyriakos Velopoulos of the Greek solution and Efi Achsioglou of the New Left, who saw in the proposal at the risk of further dismantling the employment and hostage of employees. The government, however, is determined to pursue wider political consensus.
The parliamentary process
The process of constitutional review is multilevel. This House will be the proposerfinding the need for revision and specifying the provisions for amendment. The discussion will begin in the committee responsible and the plenary will follow. The timetable provides for the start of the debate with the new House of Representatives in October, and by the end of 2025 the majority is expected to officially identify the proposed articles. The baton will pass to the next House, which will be the revisionist.
For the approval of the revised articles, there are three possible scenarios, depending on the majority of each article in the proposed Parliament:
- Less than 151 votes: The article is left out of the revisionist process.
- 151-180 votes: In the revisionist parliament, the final text needs more than 180 votes to be approved.
- Over 180 votes: In the revisionist parliament, the article is approved by 151 votes.
The process is expected to be long and trigger strong political controversy, as it concerns fundamental issues of state and institutions.