Greek elections: New Democracy try to form coalition

Antonis Samaras, the leader of the centre-right New Democracy party which came first in the poll, is to launch coalition talks today. He said yesterday that his party would honour all its commitments to the EU and the result was a "victory for all Europe".

Leaders of the EU appear relieved that a pro-austerity government could now form; if the anti-austerity party Syriza had won, its leader Alexis Tsipras had pledged to renegotiate the punishing terms of its bailout, threatening its place within the euro. Syriza came a close second, with 26.89% to ND's 29.66% with 99.95% of ballots counted; Tsipras vowed yesterday to remain outside the government and "upset the [austerity] measures and the bailout".

The most likely next step is for New Democracy to try to form a coalition with Pasok, the socialist party that came third with 12.2% of the vote. Together they would have 162 of the Greek parliament's 300 seats. Pasok said yesterday that it would not go into government without Syriza, but this may have been a tactic to make Syriza look as though it was not willing to play a constructive part in Greece's future. ND may also try to bring in the small Democratic Left party, which won 6.3% of the vote and while opposing the country's harsh austerity program has said it will do what is needed to help form a strong government.

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