Jubilant supporters of Alexis Tsipras’ left-wing Syriza party cheered, waved party flags and danced on Sunday after the party comfortably won Greece’s third national vote this year despite a rebellion within his party over his acceptance of a painful third international bailout.
With 44% of the vote counted, Syriza stood at 35.5%, with the conservative New Democracy at 28% while the Nazi-inspired Golden Dawn was coming in third with 7.1%, followed closely by the once-mighty socialist Pasok party with 6.3%. Abstention was high, at nearly 45% in an election-weary country with a traditionally high voter turnout.
Although Syriza was projected as falling short of an absolute majority in the 300-member parliament, Tsipras was expected to form a coalition government with relative ease. His former coalition partner, the small nationalist Independent Greeks, was set to win just above the 3% threshold to enter parliament, while centrist parties have indicated they would agree to a coalition to ensure repeat elections are not necessary.
New Democracy head Vangelis Meimarakis conceded defeat and called for a government to be formed quickly.
“The election result appears to be forming comprehensively with Syriza and Tsipras coming first,” Meimarakis said. “I congratulate him and call on him to form the government that is necessary, and bring the (proposal) to parliament.”
A total of eight parties appeared set to win parliamentary seats. The new anti-bailout Popular Unity party, formed by rebel Syriza members who objected to Tsipras’ agreement to a third bailout for Greece, was projected to fall just shy of the 3% parliamentary threshold.
A tired-looking Tsipras was hugged by party supporters as he arrived at Syriza headquarters, waving to the crowd gathered outside.
“What a result! It’s hard to describe. Tsipras will fight for the people — for Greece and for Europe,” said Maria Nixa, a 58-year-old private company employee celebrating outside Syriza’s main election campaign booth in central Athens.
Pensioner Antonis Antonios, 75, echoed her sentiments.
“It’s a great and hopeful result. We are moving forward. I am waiting for the next government to put up a fight,” he said. “They are the only ones capable of a brave struggle.”
It is the third time this year Greeks have voted, after January elections that brought Tsipras to power on an anti-bailout platform, and a July referendum he called urging voters to reject creditor reform proposals.
The 41-year-old former prime minister triggered the election by resigning in August, barely seven months into his four-year term, after facing the Syriza rebellion over his policy U-turn in accepting the spending cuts and tax hikes stipulated by the bailout.
