Greece’s New Democracy set to claim victory in election but fall short of majority

The ruling conservative party was set for victory against the opposition Syriza party, according to initial results, but appeared unlikely to form a government on its own.

.With more than half the votes counted, New Democracy took a commanding lead of 40.9%, with the radical leftist Syriza, which governed from 2015 to 2019, trailing with 20.1%.

A newly introduced electoral system distributes seats based on how many parties get into the 300-member parliament.

This means the bar for a majority can range between 42% and 47% of the vote.

Greece’s interior ministry projected that New Democracy could win 145 seats in parliament, six short of an absolute majority.

The result was however a boost to incumbent Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Mr Mitsotakis’s administration has had to contend with a wiretapping scandal, the Covid pandemic, a cost of living crisis and a deadly rail crash in February which triggered public outrage.

“It’s a clear margin, a clear win,” Panos Koliastasis, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Politics at the University of Peloponnese told Reuters.

Elections in Greece are held every four years for the 300-seat parliament.

A cost of living crisis dominated the campaign, with parties trying to woo voters with pledges to increase the minimum wage and create jobs.

“Today the country’s government responsibility has been passed on to you, the people, but I’m certain that tomorrow an even better day will dawn for our country,” he told journalists earlier after casting his vote.

His administration was hit with public outrage over a February 28 rail crash which killed 57 people, and a wiretapping scandal targeting politicians.