Greek order of precedence

The countdown to the selection of Greece's next president has begun, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis set to announce his pick for the country's highest ceremonial post in mid-January or by the end of that month at the latest. 

The decision will be taken during the holiday period following critical discussions in Hania on the island of Crete.

President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were attending on Saturday afternoon a ceremony for the official opening of the Thessaloniki Metro on Saturday afternoon.

The handover ceremony will take place at the Pylaia depot, home to the state-of-the-art control centre ensuring the Metro's safe operation.

The President of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (parliament) of the People's Republic of China, Zhao Leji, is making an official visit to Greece at the invitation of the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Konstantinos Tasoulas.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou laid a wreath at a war memorial in Thessaloniki and attended the big military parade in the northern port city commemorating Greece's entry into World War II on October 28, 1940 after it defied an Italian ultimatum and the Axis occupation.

The rift between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and former New Democracy leader and prime minister Antonis Samaras, who served from 2012 to 2015, deepened on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament Wednesday that he does not recognize Nikos Pappas, the head of the leftist SYRIZA parliamentary group as a legitimate opponent due to his conviction by Greek justice and opted to skip his speech in parliament, during a political leaders' debate.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis talks with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides at the Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, on September 19, 2024. [Louiza Vradi/Reuters]

The swearing-in ceremony for the new government members took place on Friday, in the Presidential Mansion and was attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Katerina Sakellaropoulou. 

With a desire for mutual rapprochement between Church and State, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Archbishop Ieronymos are to visit tomorrow, together, the structures of the Archdiocese in Delesi, Biotia

Greece's Independence Day on March 25 and Greek Orthodox Easter on May 3 will serve as a barometer of the Church's response to legislation passed by Parliament institutionalizing same sex marriage.