“It Is 2026, Yet Some Remain Stuck in the 1970s”
Dodecanese MP Manos Konsolas of New Democracy strongly criticized the opposition’s stance on the government’s proposals for constitutional reform during an address to the Greek Parliament.
Konsolas argued that the constitutional reform debate requires consensus and constructive dialogue, stressing that this is demanded both by democratic principles and by the needs of society.
“Some may believe that refusing dialogue and cooperation on an issue as important as constitutional reform temporarily helps the opposition escape its political dead ends, but this is not a responsible position,” he said.
He placed particular emphasis on the proposed revision of Article 16 of the Greek Constitution, concerning the operation of non-state universities. Konsolas described the reform as a mature social demand and questioned whether the refusal to seek consensus reflected, in his words, a desire by some political forces to keep Greece anchored in the past.
“It is 2026, yet some people in this chamber are still living in the 1970s,” the Dodecanese MP stated.
Konsolas also outlined several government proposals for constitutional reform, including:
- Revising Article 51 to extend postal voting rights to citizens residing within Greece.
- Revising Article 60 to strengthen the institutional and constitutional role of MPs and establish a constitutional obligation for ministers to respond to parliamentary scrutiny.
- Revising Article 86 on the criminal liability of ministers, with a proposal to remove Parliament’s authority to conduct preliminary investigations and transfer that responsibility to the judiciary.
Concluding his intervention, Konsolas renewed his criticism of the opposition, stating: “Clearly, all those who claim to care about the credibility of politics do not want anything to change.”
