Market News

New Democracy looking for large coalition

With almost all ballots now counted, New Democracy has 29.7% of the vote (129 seats), Syriza 26.9% (71) and Pasok 12.3% (33). There are 300 seats in parliament and Greece has a rule that gives the leading party 50 extra seats hence the greater number of seats for the New Democracy Party.
The leader Antonis Samaras met with the leader of Syriza, Alexis Tsipras, who said Syriza would remain in opposition and challenge the government, as his party had ‘different priorities’. Mr Samaras then later met Evangelos Venizelos, whose socialist Pasok party came third in the election. Although the two parties should be able to form a coalition, it is believed that Mr Samaras wants another party to join what he called a national salvation government with as many parties as possible.