Internal divisions emerged within Greece’s ruling New Democracy party on Thursday, 9 July 2026, during discussions on the ongoing Constitutional Review—particularly around Article 81 and the potential formalisation of incompatibility between serving as a minister and as a Member of Parliament (MP).
A Proposal That Sparks Debate
The proposal, put forward by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself, would allow future legislation—passed by an enhanced parliamentary majority—to redefine the incompatibility rules for ministers and deputy ministers with regard to other roles or positions. While intended as a flexible constitutional framework, it has drawn objections from multiple government MPs.
Concerns Within the Ruling Party
A central point of contention is whether an MP appointed to a ministerial post would be required to resign their parliamentary seat, with the first runner-up stepping in for the duration of their ministerial service. MP Giannis Kefalogiannis dismissed this direction as misguided, citing the UK’s parliamentary system—often considered the cradle of modern parliamentarism—as evidence that ministerial office must be intrinsically linked to parliamentary membership.
Similarly, MP Giorgos Kotsos argued the proposal undermines both parliamentary credibility and governmental effectiveness, since it triggers automatic resignation upon ministerial appointment.
Fears of Systemic Distortion
MP Charalampos Athanasiou voiced opposition, warning against altering the fundamental character of Greece’s parliamentary system. He stressed that such incompatibility rules are more typical of presidential systems—not parliamentary ones like Greece’s.
MP Lefteris Ktistakis approached the issue from another angle, noting that MPs do not manage public funds directly. If corruption risks lie where financial management occurs, he argued, the problem does not stem from parliamentary offices themselves. He also raised concerns about consistency: what happens, for instance, when a non-parliamentary minister later becomes an MP? There should be no double standard based on origin.
MP Notis Mitarakis had previously expressed similar reservations, confirming that Article 81 remains one of the most debated elements of the review process within New Democracy.
Guardrails in the Proposal
On the other side, MP Panagis Kappatos sought to clarify the safeguards built into the proposal. He emphasised that the constitutional amendment would not impose a new regime automatically. Instead, it would establish a constitutional basis for future Parliaments—with broad political legitimacy—to examine and decide on the issue. Crucially, he underlined that no single government could unilaterally change the rules; any such law would require an enhanced majority.