Halyna Maslyuk on new Greek president’s impact on Ukraine

Presidential elections were held in Greece on Feb. 12, and former parliamentary speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas was subsequently sworn in as the country’s ninth president. He secured his victory after several rounds of voting in the Greek parliament and assumed the presidency during a time of significant social and political change. 

Halyna Maslyuk, a prominent leader of the Ukrainian community in Greece, shared more details in a comment for the Ukrainian World Congress.

Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulasa is a member of the ruling “New Democracy” party.

After four rounds of voting, the election process in parliament proved difficult: no candidate received the required 200 votes in the first round. Tasoulas secured 160 out of 300 possible votes in the fourth round, winning with a simple majority.

This appointment was particularly important for the ruling party as it helped strengthen the government, which had been facing public discontent due to a series of tragic events. Notably, the March 2023 passenger train disaster near Larissa, in which a passenger train and a freight train collided head-on, killing 57 people, became the deadliest train crash in Greece’s history. 

Additionally, ongoing discussions about corruption scandals added to public dissatisfaction.

Tasoulas, representing the conservative New Democracy party, is known for supporting the initiative to retrieve the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum in London. 

Given his democratic values and measured approach, he is expected to play a role in promoting a just peace for Ukraine. Greek public figures and politicians who support Ukraine have welcomed his appointment, praising his understanding of the presidential role’s significance and his lack of sympathy for Russia.

Tasoulas officially took office on March 13, 2025, succeeding Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Greece’s first female president, who had also been a strong advocate for Ukraine’s cause.