1980 Greek presidential election

1980 Greek presidential election

23, 29 April and 5 May 1980

Nominee Konstantinos Karamanlis Georgios Mylonas Leonidas Kyrkos Party New Democracy KODISO KKE Interior   Nominee Faidon Vegleris Party United Democratic Left

President before election Konstantinos Tsatsos New Democracy President Konstantinos Karamanlis New Democracy

An indirect election for the position of President of the Hellenic Republic was held by the Hellenic Parliament in April–May 1980.

The ruling New Democracy under Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis possessed only 175 votes in the 300-strong parliament, falling short of the required number for a straightaway election (200 votes in the first two rounds, 180 in the third). Karamanlis, who was aware of PASOK's electoral upswing and the imminence of its coming to power—as indeed happened in the 1981 elections—preferred to move to the presidency of the Republic, which at the time still held considerable powers. He therefore resigned as Prime Minister to stand for the presidency, being succeeded as Prime Minister by Georgios Rallis.

Several candidates were put forward by minor parties alongside Karamanlis, including Georgios Mylonas (KODISO), Leonidas Kyrkos (KKE Interior), Ioannis Zigdis (EDIK), Stelios Papathemelis, Ilias Iliou and Faidon Vegleris (United Democratic Left). Karamanlis received 179 votes and 180 votes in the first and second ballot respectively, and was elected on the third ballot with 183 votes, i.e. the 175 MPs of New Democracy as well as eight independent MPs or MPs from the minor parties.

Overview

Votes	23 April	29 April	5 May
Konstantinos Karamanlis (ND)	179	181	183
Georgios Mylonas (KODISO)	4	3	3
Leonidas Kyrkos (KKE Interior)	1	1	1
Faidon Vegleris (EDA)	1	1	1
Nikitas Venizelos (EDIK)	3	–	–
Ilias Iliou (EDA)	1	–	–
Stelios Papathemelis (Independent)	–	1	–
Ioannis Zigdis (EDIK)	–	–	4
Blank ballot	15	13	12
Refusal to vote	92	97	94
Absent	4	3	2
Total	300	300	300