The recently departed president of Greece’s supreme court, Vassiliki Thanou, will assume the prime minister’s legal office, a relevant press release announced on Monday afternoon.
Thanou, who was obliged to retire after reaching the age of 67, will not be a salaried staff member, the same press release announced.
The former high court jurist was the target of high-profile criticism over the past year after she appeared to back legal changes that would allow justices to serve past the mandatory retirement age. However, the provision for mandatory retirement is clearly stipulated in Greece’s constitution, leaving little room for “loopholes”.
Thanou also served as a caretaker prime minister before the snap election of September 2015, weeks after the third memorandum was passed.