Prokopis Pavlopoulos to be sworn in today as the 7th President of the Republic

Prokopis Pavlopoulos will be sworn in on Friday at 18.00 as the 7th President of the Hellenic Republic, before the Parliament plenary.

The President, elected by Parliament every five years, is Head of State. Although this role has limited political power, as most power lies with the government, his duties include formally appointing the Prime Minister, on whose recommendation he also appoints or dismisses other members of government, he represents the State in its relations to other States, proclaims referendums etc.

Before taking office, the President must recite an oath before Parliament: "I swear in the name of the Holy, Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity to safeguard the Constitution and the laws, to ensure their faithful observance, to defend the national independence and territorial integrity of the Country, to protect the rights and liberties of the Greeks and to serve the general interest and the progress of the Greek People."

Pavlopoulos, a long-time New Democracy politician and attorney by training, was nominated by the ruling leftist SYRIZA party, and was backed by the junior coalition party as well as ND. The former conservative minister was voted in as president on February 18.

After the ceremony, the new President will lay a wreath at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in the centre of Athens and then he will go to the Presidential Mansion to assume his new responsibilities.

Curriculum Vitae

Born in Kalamata, in the extreme southern Peloponnese province in 1950, Pavlopoulos graduated from high school in his home town and moved to Athens to attend law school in 1968.

He is married to Vlassia Pavlopoulou-Peltsemi and they have three children: Vassilis, an attorney-at-law, Maria, a French...