In order for elections to be called before the end of the four-year term, as Mr. Mitsotakis hinted (“the climate smells of elections,” he said in Kalithea), under article 41 of the Constitution, the Prime Minister must ask the President of the Republic to dissolve parliament to resolve an extremely important national question.

Changes made after the adoption of the 1975 Constitution made it mandatory for the President of the Republic to accept the Government’s proposal.

The President nonetheless retains the moral authority of presidential persuasion, enhanced by her previous tenure at the highest judicial level.

1. It is a fact that after the post-colonization the national question was repeatedly raised for the premature dissolution of Parliament. In all cases it was pretentious. He hoped for the electoral advantages of the government in a hurry. Does the bad example of the past justify its repetition by the government of Mr. Mitsotakis?

In 2016, in our Comprehensive Constitutional Proposal, published by K, we provided in Article 47 that elections would be held every four years on the first Sunday in February of every fourth year. In this way, we have eliminated the pre-election “speculation” that brings uncertainty and insecurity into economic life and paralyzes the work of the administration. “Speculation” mainly affects the weakest, who do not have a guaranteed permanent job in the state.

2. How many times has Mr. Mitsotakis assured the Greek people that elections will be held at the end of the four-year period, as stipulated by the Constitution? Is the end of four years in the prime minister’s lexicon the end of four years, or the end minus two or three months?

Potential recourse to the national question for an election appeal would be detrimental to institutions.

3. This is an oxymoron. Follow the discussion. The government will tell us that it is demanding an early dissolution of parliament to deal with an extremely important national issue, which it will indicate. However, the government currently has a comfortable majority of 157 seats in parliament, which allows it to decide any issue, including issues of exceptional national importance. After all, he proved this by how he dealt with the pandemic or the unbearable Turkish provocations. After the elections, by simple analogy, the resulting schemes will certainly be less able to deal with national issues of extreme importance. The same can be assumed about the forms that will arise after the second elections (with enhanced proportional representation) as a result of the impossibility of forming a government after elections with simple proportional representation.

Conclusion: In order to demand the dissolution of Parliament before the expiration of the four-year period, the government must declare, according to the Constitution, that it is doing so for the solution of an extremely important national question. But if he does, he will taunt us, because, as I explained, by dissolving parliament, he ensures that the national question of extreme importance cannot be solved.

In my opinion, the possible dissolution of parliament to deal with such an extremely important national issue is proof of the government’s incurable fatigue. I understand that Mr. Prime Minister is looking for a way (through elections) to get rid of the ministerial burden that hinders progress and modernization. The fake method may be painless, but it comes at a cost because it undermines institutions.

I understand the predicament the ruling faction is in because of the EMP affair and the unclear relationship between the EMP and Maximos or the unacceptable activities of a ND member, but it saddens me and I do not condone (even if I understand partisan expediency) the harm of the institutions. I also resent a government job announcement at a time when Pierracaca’s applications justify layoffs or, in any case, transfers to fill vacancies.

What can we say about the shame of unauthorized legalization or the threat of the possibility of building small plots of land outside the plan? We are short-sightedly killing the most precious thing that Greece has. Environment. And why; For some dubious age voices. We teach that laws and decisions of the State Council sooner or later end up in the wastebasket. It is enough that the electoral interests of the government are served. Is the government that delusional?

* Mr. Stefanos Manos is a former minister.