The New Democracy party polled second with around 28 percent of votes, giving it 75 seats. Together, they’d have enough seats to secure a majority in parliament.
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But he said the mandate to steer Greece’s battered economy to recovery lays before him and the Greeks a difficult road, adding that recovery from financial crisis would only come through hard work. “Europe will not be same after tomorrow”.
On the other side of the Greek capital New Democracy voters were less than confident Tsipras will deliver stability and expressed fears that his actions will worsen one of the worst depressions to hit an industrialised country in modern times. According to polls, 40 percent of registered voters between 18 and 26 voted for Syriza.
As the scale of the victory became clear, the conservative leader, Vangelis Meimarakis conceded defeat.
“The choice appears to have been made that when push comes to shove, Syriza will opt to keep Greece in the euro”.
Despite convulsive developments in Greece this year, Syriza’s margin of victory over its nearest rival was nearly exactly the same as it was the last time the country voted.
Projections placed Syriza short of an outright majority in the parliament, forcing the leftist party to seek a coalition partner once again.
Defying opinion polls, Tsipras comfortably beat the conservative New Democracy party to retain a coalition partnership with the small right-wing Independent Greeks, and was due to formally be handed the mandate to form a government later today.
Tsipras also admitted that the country’s pledge to go forward with four years of painful reforms set out by Europe’s leaders would not be easy.
Greece’s radical leader Alexis Tsipras pulled off the biggest gamble of his already dramatic political career as he romped to victory in a snap election.
Tsipras had fought an uphill battle following his spectacular U-turn on previous promises to tear up the excoriating bailout agreements successive Greek governments had signed with worldwide creditors. If you want, vote for me, ‘ ” said Alexis Athanasopoulos.
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The deal involves the Greek government carrying out austerity reforms, despite Syriza’s initial election promise to end such measures, which have been a heavy burden on the Greek people.
