Greece’s government plans to propose scrapping the constitutional guarantee of job permanence for public sector workers, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, signalling a major reform to be discussed during a constitutional review later this year.
Speaking in a radio interview, Mitsotakis said the ruling New Democracy party will seek a revision of Article 103 of the Constitution, which currently safeguards the permanent status of civil servants. When asked whether the change would apply to both current staff and new hires, Mitsotakis replied: “All of them.”
“We have moved beyond the era when public employees felt threatened by a change in government,” Mitsotakis said. “Permanence must not lead to inertia, especially when there are clear inefficiencies in the system.”
The proposal is part of a broader government effort to overhaul the public sector, which includes mandatory performance evaluations and the introduction of bonuses for high-performing employees.
“It is inconceivable for a public employee to reject evaluation,” Mitsotakis said. “There will be consequences. Evaluation is not optional—it is a core element of an effective administration.”
The government says the evaluation system has become more robust and transparent, with mechanisms to detect vague or inadequate assessments.
Broad Support for Reform
Public opinion appears to back the reform. A Marc poll published in the Proto Thema newspaper found that 88% of respondents support civil servant evaluations, while 76.2% favour ending job permanence for underperforming staff.
The constitutional review is expected to cover a wide range of issues, including the legalisation of non-state universities, environmental protections, ministerial accountability, and postal voting. Mitsotakis has also floated the idea of introducing a single six-year term for the country’s president.
Call for Consensus
Following a meeting with Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas last week, Mitsotakis called for a broad consensus on the constitutional overhaul.
“Constitutional reviews should build bridges, not deepen divisions,” he said. “This is what the Constitution demands, and I hope all parties will approach the debate with institutional responsibility.”
To revise a constitutional article, a proposal must pass with at least 180 votes in the current 300-seat Parliament to be amended with a simple majority in the next. Articles passed with 151 to 179 votes require a supermajority of 180 in the next Parliament for final approval.