The first round of the presidential election in Greece is set for January 25, with more rounds to follow. But the winner already seems clear: Konstantinos Tasoulas, a member of the conservative New Democracy party who was parliament speaker up until a few days ago.

Tasoulas is expected to need four rounds to gain enough votes from lawmakers to win the election. That's because the right-wing conservative candidate lacks the bipartisan luster to secure the necessary two-thirds majority of parliament, or 200 of 300 available votes, to win in an earlier round.

In 2020, Greek's current president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, breezed through the election with 261 votes. By contrast, Tasoulas probably won't even be able to gather the 180 votes required in the third presidential election round — a provision that's been in place since the Greek junta dictatorship ended in 1974. In the fourth election round, thanks to a constitutional amendment in 2019, a ruling majority of 151 parliamentarians would suffice.

That would make Tasoulas the first Greek president to hold the state's highest office, a predominantly ceremonial position, without the approval of at least one of the major opposition parties. It looks like only some members of the Spartans, a far-right party that succeeded the now-banned right-wing extremist Golden Dawn party, will support Tasoulas, a prospect he seems none too pleased about.

Already, Tasoulas, 65, is the first candidate to have to beat multiple opposing........

© Deutsche Welle