Word: parliament
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Last week Greeks seemed to be willing to try-for the moment-a new constitution that strikes a delicate balance between the two. The first test of the constitution, adopted by the Greek Parliament earlier this month, was the parliamentary election of a new President with broad powers. The winner, with a comfortable 210 out of 300 votes, was Constantine Tsatsos, 76, the hand-picked nominee of Greece's Premier Constantine Caramanlis...
Power and Discipline. Tsatsos, a conservative intellectual and gifted speechwriter who has turned his talents loyally to Caramanlis' New Democracy Party, is expected to press Caramanlis' policies while the Premier stays on in Parliament to mold the party's power and discipline. Then, perhaps a year from now, Tsatsos is expected to resign his five-year term, allowing the New Democracy majority in Parliament to elect Caramanlis to the office...
That scenario is perfectly legal under the new constitution, which allows a two-thirds majority in Parliament to elect a replacement President to a full term. To Greece's parliamentary opposition, led by the Center Union-New Forces Party's George Mavros, it seems tailor-made for the paternalistic, De Gaulle-like Caramanlis, as do other articles in the document. Some of the most controversial provisions...
...President appoints and can dismiss the government (the Premier and his ministers) without consulting Parliament. He can dissolve Parliament without consulting the government if he believes it does not reflect the national mood or deems it unstable, but he must call new elections within 30 days...
...President can declare martial law and rule by decree for 30 days without Parliament's approval...