Greek parliament fails to elect new president in third round of voting

Athens: The Greek parliament failed to elect the country's next president in the third round of voting on Thursday.

Constantine Tassoulas, former parliament speaker and the nominee of the ruling conservative New Democracy party, received 160 votes, the same as in the previous rounds. The other three candidates each secured fewer than 50 votes again.

All 300 members of parliament participated in Thursday's vote. According to the Greek constitution, a candidate needed at least 180 votes in the 300-seat parliament to secure the presidency in this round, down from the 200-vote threshold required in the first two rounds held over the past two weeks.

A fourth round of voting is scheduled for Feb. 12, with the required threshold lowered to 151 votes, in accordance with the constitution, the parliament speaker announced. Greek political analysts expect Tassoulas to win in the Feb. 12 vote.

If that round also proves inconclusive, a fifth and final round will be held, where the president will be elected by a relative majority.

The term of outgoing President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, former head of Greece's highest administrative court, expires in March. Under the Greek constitution, the country's president serves a five-year term and may be re-elected only once.