Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has unveiled a sweeping package of proposed constitutional reforms in Greece, covering areas including education, justice, governance, artificial intelligence, taxation and public administration.
The proposed overhaul, presented to members of the governing party’s parliamentary group, includes revisions to around 30 constitutional articles and has been described as an effort to create a “functional democracy for today and tomorrow.”
One of the most significant reforms would allow the establishment of non-state, non-profit universities operating alongside public institutions under state supervision and strict academic standards. The proposals would also increase compulsory education from nine to at least 11 years and introduce constitutional protections for the Greek language and national symbols.
The reform package includes major changes to governance and the justice system, including revisions to how judicial leadership is selected and changes to ministerial accountability laws. Under the proposals, preliminary investigations involving ministers could be transferred from parliament to judicial authorities in an effort to reduce political influence over legal proceedings.
The government is also proposing substantial changes to the public sector, including a review of lifetime job security in the civil service and the introduction of stronger performance evaluation systems. Citizens, supervisors and subordinates could all take part in assessing public servants under a new two-way evaluation model.
Electoral reforms under discussion include expanded postal voting, updated referendum rules, changes to parliamentary candidate eligibility requirements, and new transparency measures for political parties and campaign financing.
On economic policy, the proposed constitutional amendments would ban retroactive taxation and strengthen rules around fiscal transparency, public spending and oversight of state-funded organisations.
The reforms also place strong emphasis on environmental protection and digital governance. A new constitutional provision would require that artificial intelligence serve society and individual freedoms while managing potential risks.
“It’s very important that, in this process of constitutional revision, we take care of the world that will host our children,” Mitsotakis told lawmakers.
The proposed amendment states: “Artificial intelligence shall serve the freedom of the individual and the prosperity of society, ensuring that risks are mitigated and that the advantages it provides are fully realised.”
Mitsotakis said issues such as climate change, renewable energy and AI were among the defining challenges facing modern societies.
“This great revolution must also be constitutionally placed at the service of individual freedom and social well-being,” he said.
Government lawmaker Evripidis Stylianidis, who is leading the constitutional revision process, said the changes were intended to provide long-term safeguards for democracy and human rights amid rapid technological change.
“The protection and proper use of artificial intelligence touches all human rights in daily life and is something that must concern us in the constitutional revision,” he told state radio.
The constitutional revision process in Greece requires multiple parliamentary votes across two successive parliaments and generally depends on some level of cross-party support before amendments can be adopted.
Source: AP News
