President Nikos Christodoulides on Wednesday congratulated Constantine Tassoulas on his election as president of Greece.

“I express my warmest congratulations to Constantine Tassoulas on his election to the highest office,” he began.

He added that Tassoulas’ “presence in the political events of Greece since the 1980s through all the steps and offices of political life in which he served, as well as his successful tenure as Hellenic parliament president ensure the guarantees in the highest office”.

“I look forward to the closest cooperation between us, not only for the further strengthening of the fraternal ties between Greece and Cyprus, but also for the promotion of the national goals and interests of Hellenism,” he said.

Tassoulas, 66, served as an MP in Greece between 2000 and this January, when he resigned upon his nomination as president by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He served as culture minister for six months in 2014 and 2015 and was Hellenic parliament president between 2019 and his resignation last month.

His nomination drew controversy in some quarters, with many in Greece saying the country’s parliament failed to investigate any political responsibility for the Tempi train crash, which occurred in 2023.

In Greece, only parliament can investigate politicians.

Nonetheless, Tassoulas won 160 votes in Greece’s 300-seat parliament on Wednesday to be elected as president, and will succeed incumbent Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Greece’s first female president, next month.

Mitsotakis described Tassoulas’ election as “a victory for the constitution”, saying it “fully upholds the relevant constitutional provisions”.

“This outcome highlights the misguided efforts of some to entangle the presidency in partisan disputes. The near future will undoubtedly confirm this. In a volatile international environment, Greece’s political life continues to evolve with confidence and responsibility,” he said.

He added that Greece is “steadily advancing along the paths of democracy, economic growth, and social progress”, and that Tassoulas, as president, will “undoubtedly contribute to this course”.