Does Greece need a stronger president?

"If the head of state lacks even basic powers, how can they fulfill their regulatory role? If Parliament is in clear opposition to public sentiment, who will protect the country from decay and potential anarchy?" These were the questions raised by Konstantinos Karamanlis in January 1975 before the Greek Parliament, as he defended the increased powers granted to the president under the new constitution. The new framework gave the president the authority to dissolve Parliament if there was "discord" with public sentiment, dismiss the government, and call a referendum on "critical national issues."

Almost 50 years later, following four constitutional revisions, the role of the president of the republic has become largely ceremonial, with limited room for intervention, even in the face of acute political crises. In a country with a purely "prime ministerial" system and limited...