Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is poised to initiate a sweeping constitutional overhaul this week, targeting the politically sensitive issue of lifetime tenure for civil servants as his government pivots to a reformist agenda ahead of the election cycle.
Mr. Mitsotakis is expected to formally open the debate in a televised address Wednesday, followed by a prime-time interview on SKAI TV. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis will outline the specific timeline and scope of the proposals on Monday.
According to senior officials, the ruling New Democracy party intends to dismantle the constitutional guarantee of permanent job status in the public sector—a "third rail" of Greek politics enshrined in the 1975 charter.
The proposed amendments also include revising Article 16 to fully legalize private universities and Article 86, the controversial provision regarding ministerial immunity. Discussions are also underway regarding changes to the presidency's term limits.
Passing these amendments requires a supermajority of 200 votes in the 300-seat parliament. Mr. Mitsotakis is expected to appeal for cross-party consensus, framing the changes as essential for national competitiveness.
While the socialist PASOK party has signaled openness to institutional modernization, the leftist Syriza party has vowed to oppose any erosion of civil service protections. The last constitutional revision was completed in 2019.