Parliament passes bill establishing private universities in Greece

The bill on the founding of private universities in Greece passed by majority vote in parliament plenary on Friday night, on the strength of the votes of ruling New Democracy.

All opposition parties rejected the bill on 'Reinforcing State Universities - Framework for the operation of non-profit branches of foreign universities' after a three-day debate in which Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke of a radical change in education and opposition parties said that private universities were going to lead to the demise of state universities

During the vote on the bill's principles, 299 members of parliament participated with 159 MPs (158 from ND and the independent MP X. Katsivardas) voting in favor, 129 voting against, and 11 declaring themselves 'present'.