Greece’s new lawmakers were sworn in Monday, just over a week after a general election that saw many smaller right and left parties enter the Parliament for the first time.
After the religious oath, Muslim members of Parliament swore on the Quran, while those who preferred to do so, took the political oath.
As the ap reports, the 300 members of parliament were inducted after the June 25 elections brought Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to a win, leaving behind with a difference left-wing opposition Syriza party and prompting opposition leader Alexis Tsipras to announce his resignation.
Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party now holds a comfortable parliamentary majority, with 158 seats compared to Syriza’s 48.
Three far-right parties and one representing the far left reached the 3% minimum threshold for parliamentary seats. Only one of them has been in Parliament before.
According to Kathimerini, the ceremony took place in the presence of Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
The inaugural session of the new Parliament commenced at 11 a.m., with Nikitas Kaklamanis, the first vice-president of the previous House, presiding over the proceedings.
The front seats, from right to left, were taken by MPs representing New Democracy, PASOK-KINAL, SYRIZA, and the Greek Communist Party, while further back, the MPs from Greek Solution, Niki, Spartiates, and Course of Freedom were seated.
Sources: AP, kathimerini
