After the vote count in Greece’s parliamentary elections showed a large majority won by the conservative New Democracy party, its leader and prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, abandoned a coalition government on Monday, paving the way for a second vote in June. , in which he hopes his party will win a landslide victory.
New Democracy won 40.8% of the vote against 20.1% for the left-wing SYRIZA party, despite its reign marred by a wiretapping scandal, the COVID pandemic, a cost of living crisis and an outcry general in a train wreck.
At the same time, New Democracy did not obtain an absolute majority of votes, which forced negotiations between the three largest parties to create a coalition government.
Markets rose sharply on the prospect of a New Democracy victory in the second vote.
It will be run on a highly proportional system, which increases the chances of victory for Mitsotakis’ party. All parties have the right to stand for election.
“I believe what the country needs today is a strong and stable government with a four-year perspective,” Mitsotakis told Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou after formally inviting him to form a coalition government. “The sooner this problem is closed, the better it will be for the country.”
If a coalition government is not formed within three days, the country’s president could appoint an interim government, which is expected to be sworn in early next week, after which a new election date will be set.
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