ENGLISH SECTION
05/03/2025 | 19:22
Motion of censure tabled in Parliament; PM Mitsotakis requests immediate start of debate
PASOK’s motion of censure against the government was tabled in the Greek Parliament on Wednesday, co-signed by 85 deputies of four parties, and independents.
PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis had announced the tabling of the censure motion, which was supported by 33 deputies of PASOK, 26 of SYRIZA, 11 of Nea Aristera, 6 of Plefsi Eleftherias, and 12 independent deputies, 6 of whom are affiliated with the Movement for Democracy (Kinima Dimokratias).
The government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asked that discussion begins immediately.
The motion of censure was tabled during the pro-daily agenda debate of the Tempi train collision. According to the Parliament rules of order, the tabling of a motion of censure results in the interruption of its works and the start of a three-day discussion on this proposal.
Three-day debate
According to regulations, the discussion begins with speeches by two of the deputies signing it, followed by cycles of 15 to 16 speakers alternating between the government and opposition deputies, based on the seats the parties hold in Parliament. Speakers may include presidents of parliamentary groups, ministers, and parliamentary representatives.
On the third day on the censure motion, debate will conclude with speeches by party leaders in reverse order and will be followed by a roll-call vote. In order for the motion of censure to be accepted, it must be approved by the absolute majority of all deputies, who total 300. A censure of motion may not be tabled before the lapse of six months from the rejection of the last one, unless it is signed by the absolute majority of all deputies.
According to the motion’s explanation, the massive demostrations on January 26 and February 28 “conveyed society’s established belief in the government’s responsibilities both for the accident/criminal and the conditions that led to the collision of the trains, which ran on the same line for 12 minutes, and for the attempt to cover up government responsibilities over actions and omissions that led to the accident.”
It added that “a powerful, all-popular demand has been formulated for the serving of justice and for safe railway transportation, goals that this government has clearly and stubbornly refused to serve. This is an illegitimized government and an illegitimized prime minister.”
PM Mitsotakis: Signatories of censure motion an alliance of nihilists lacking a real proposal
The motion of censure is the second one against the government and fundamentally on the same issue, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after the tabling of the motion on Wednesday evening.
After denouncing the parties for tabling the motion in the middle instead of the end of the parliamentary session – which “essentially prevented the prime minister and other party leaders the opportunity to respond to comments and questions which were set” – Mitsotakis attacked the four parties signing the motion (PASOK, SYRIZA, Nea Aristera, Plefsi Eleftherias) and criticized them for lacking self-sufficiency: “We saw today how much self-sufficiency you have – an alliance of the willing nihilists without any proposal whatever.”
Turning to Plefsi Eleftherias and its leader, Zoe Konstantopoulou, he said, “The proposal is for us to leave. Very interesting proposal, Ms Konstantopoulou, but at present in the last elections we received 41% and you just made 3%,” referring to the minimum required by a party to gain seats in Parliament. “Therefore, this proposal will be judged in Parliament to start with, and then at national elections when they take place in 2027,” the premier added.
Mitsotakis added that the government believed “every motion of censure is obviously welcome. It is always an opportunity to talk in toto.” He added that at the end of the three-day debate, on Friday, “the obvious will be reconfirmed – the absolutely solidly united parliamentary group of New Democracy that will embrace the government with its majority vote.”
Addressing himself to PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, who tabled the motion, the PM said, “The precedent you have created, Mr Androulakis, is a very interesting precedent we will have the opportunity to dismantle politically and during this debate.”
Concluding his remarks, Mitsotakis said, “The government requests of the presidium and Parliament to start debate immediately. Immediately, meaning at 19:00 today. I imagine you are not unprepared, ladies and gentlemen of the opposition. After all, you have been working on this censure of motion for a long time. You managed to come to an agreement at long last. Mr President, let us start at 19:00.”
Source: ANA – MPA
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