Tsipras reveals Constitution Review proposals containing ‘direct democracy’ features

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras revealed a set of ideas for Constitutional Reforms and urged people to participate in the relevant public debate that will “lead to a new Greece,” as he characteristically said. The proposals include issues such the election for the president, the immunity of lawmakers, the use of referendums based on signature collection, the Prime Minister as the powers of the president, the use of referendums, the immunity of MPs and changes in the relationship between church and state.

The 15 proposals include among others:

1. President to be elected by the people if MPs fail to elect the president in two voting rounds.
2. Prime Minister can be only elected lawmaker – except caretaker PM
3. Scrap MP’s immunity
4. Modifications in the law concerning Ministers’ responsibilities
5. MPs can be elected for two legislative periods only, maximum for 8 years
6. Confidence Vote submission to include proposal for new PM
7. Slight increase of President’s duties (be able to address the Parliament,   check if voted legislation is conform with Constitution)
8. Referendums: Ratification via Referendum of any Treaty transferring sovereign powers of the state. Possibility for Referendum 1) on national issues triggered by people’s initiative and collection of more than 500,000 signatures 2) on voted legislation -except fiscal legislation – via collection of more than 1 million signatures. 3) legislative initiative by citizens, more than 1 million signatures needed
9. Explicit guarantee of the religious neutrality of the State, however with  conservation of “Orthodoxy as the prevailing religion” for historical and practical reasons.
10. Explicitly ban the lifting of the waiver of public control on water and electricity.
11. Clear and effective guarantee of collective bargaining as the only means to determine salary.
12. Simple proportional representation in forming the government

Tsipras’ plan for the constitutional reforms seems to aim the famous “direct democracy” where citizens will have a stronger say in legislation issues.However, already some Greeks “predict” a referendum tsunami coming to the country.

Some of the proposals like lifting MP’s and Ministers’ immunity and “open the closed profession of Lawmaker” (so to say) are positive steps in the right direction. Also direct vote for the President, as it will stop the political parties practice to enforce early elections by failing to elect a President.

With the proposals the government hopes to pave the way for a public debate. A committee assigned to oversee the public debate is expected to be established by September. The committee will have to present a comprehensive proposal by spring 2017.

PM Tsipras stressed that the constitutional review will mark a break with the post-dictatorship era whose “bankruptcy” and “defeat” is responsible for the country’s financial woes today. “The answer to today’s problems, the new challenges and the new political reality” is to proceed to a new political changeover, he said.

The only political leader present at the Constitutional Review event was Vasilis Leventis from Centrists’ Union. Main opposition party New Democracy sent one representative.

Except for Leventis who said he agrees with Tsipras’ proposals except for the Presidential elections, all other opposition parties launched a new wave of criticism to the government.