The Battle for the Athens Bar: End of an Era, and the Fight for the Future

23,000 lawyers caput to the polls — frontrunners, underdogs, and the stakes of the astir pivotal ineligible predetermination successful years

This autumn, alongside the authoritative commencement of the judicial year, Athens is witnessing a high-stakes election for the presidency of the Athens Bar Association (ΔΣΑ), the largest nonrecreational assemblage successful Greece. With heavy ties to the ineligible and governmental cloth of the country, this contention is much than conscionable interior affairs — it’s about the aboriginal of the ineligible assemblage itself.

End of an Era: The Departure of Dimitris Vervesos

After serving 2 consecutive terms, Dimitris Vervesos, the emblematic and often polarizing president of the Athens Bar, is stepping down — not by choice, but by statute. Known for his loud, assertive style and governmental instincts, Vervesos leaves down some a bequest and a powerfulness vacuum.

And portion helium won’t look connected the ballot, his power is acold from gone. Many speculate helium whitethorn participate nationalist politics, but successful the meantime, the large question remains: Who volition transportation the torch — oregon situation his legacy?

Meet the Candidates: Lawyers astatine the Crossroads

 Dimitris Anastasopoulos – The Quiet Front-Runner

A seasoned ineligible fig and Bar assembly subordinate for 11 years, Anastasopoulos has tally for the presidency doubly earlier (2017, 2021). With a wide illustration and governmental roots in New Democracy, helium positions himself arsenic a moderate, forward-thinking candidate. His level includes:

• Protecting the profession against dilution by caller backstage instrumentality schools
• Minimum basal fees for ineligible services
• Digital tools to empower tiny and medium-sized instrumentality firms
• Modernizing the outdated Code of Ethics (untouched since the 1980s)
• A telephone for respectful, issue-based debate — not governmental games

“No deals, nary backroom promises. Just a imaginativeness for a strong, dignified profession.”

Michalis Kalantzakopoulos – The PASOK-Backed Candidate

Currently serving as Vice President of the Bar, Kalantzakopoulos has aligned himself with center-left politics and reportedly enjoys the backing of PASOK person Nikos Androulakis. His absorption is economic:

• Exemption from VAT for incomes nether €25,000
• Reduced VAT (14%) on court-related ineligible services
• Sub-minimum societal security class for low-income lawyers
• Freeze connected rising contributions for 3 years

Andreas Koutsolambros – The Newcomer With a Track Record

A starring fig among public-sector lawyers, Koutsolambros enters the contention for the archetypal time, bringing acquisition but nary anterior candidacy. Representing the center-left, helium could entreaty to those seeking a caller commencement with credible depth.

Thanasis Kampagiannis – The Radical Outsider

A erstwhile campaigner for the European Parliament with the leftist ANTARSYA party and 1 of the cardinal ineligible figures successful the Golden Dawn trial, Kampagiannis is the strongest dependable of the extremist left. In the 2021 election, helium came successful 3rd with 15%, a record-breaking effect for the left.

He called it “the rebellion of the bees.”

Big Issues connected the Ballot

This is nary mean election. The ineligible satellite is changing — and fast.

• Artificial Intelligence is entering courtrooms and lawsuit files
• New backstage instrumentality schools are acceptable to flood the market
• Professional exams may instrumentality to the hands of the Ministry of Justice
• Underpaid lawyers, outdated interest structures, and rigid systems clasp the tract back
• Social media ethics, ineligible tech, and digitization each request urgent reforms

As a campaigner enactment it:“The adjacent 4 years volition either support oregon dismantle the foundations of our profession.”

The Unknown Factor: Who Will Vervesos Back?

While officially retired of the race, Dimitris Vervesos remains a almighty figure. Whispers crossed ineligible circles suggest that his endorsement — adjacent informal — could plaything votes significantly. As ever successful ineligible politics, networks and loyalties matter.Former presidents ne'er truly leave. They conscionable alteration battlegrounds.

Key Dates: Save the Calendar

•  First round: November 30 – December 1
• Second round (if needed): December 7 – 8

Only 55% of lawyers voted successful the erstwhile election’s archetypal round. That fig volition request to emergence if the assemblage wants to illustration a caller course.

Final Word: This Time, It’s Personal

This predetermination isn’t conscionable astir who wears the statesmanlike sash — it’s astir who defines what it means to beryllium a lawyer successful Greece today. The assemblage stands astatine a crossroads, squeezed between market realities, governmental undercurrents, and technological disruption.“A lawyer indispensable question everything, admit nothing, and talk for astatine slightest an hour.” — Thomas Jefferson

Seems similar helium was up of his time.

Source: pagenews.gr

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