Athens, 22 May 2023 (dpa/MIA) – The ruling conservative New Democracy Party of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis secured a resounding victory in the Greek general election on Sunday, improving on its result in 2019, after almost all the votes were counted.

New Democracy was on around 40.8%, up from 39.9% in the last elections, with over 97% of votes counted as of early on Monday. New Democracy could seek a coalition partner, but Mitsotakis could also opt for fresh elections in July under a different system that would allow his party to govern alone.

Mitsotakis has ruled out an alliance with other parties and hinted that the new election could take place as early as next month.

The left-wing Syriza party of former prime minister Alexis Tsipras saw its support dive by 10 percentage points to around 20%, but remains the largest opposition party. The social democrats of PASOK were third on around 11.5%, up from 8.1% in 2019.

The Communist Party on 7.2% and the right-wing populist Elliniki Lysi (Greek Solution) on 4.4% made it into parliament. However the leftist Mera25 of former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and the ultraconservative NIKI failed to make the 3% hurdle.

The turnout was put at a relatively low 60%.

The coalition options open to Mitsotakis are limited. An alliance with Syriza is ruled out, as Tsipras shaped his election campaign in diametric opposition to that of New Democracy and was sharply critical of Mitsotakis.

Alliances with populists on the left and right are equally unlikely, and would probably not provide a majority in any case.

PASOK remains an option, but party chief Nikos Androulakis has thus far ruled out a coalition with New Democracy.

Observers believe Mitsotakis will opt for fresh elections in the country of 10.5 million inhabitants. "The election result is a clear mandate from the people to Mitsotakis to continue to govern alone," Interior Minister Makis Voridis told television broadcaster Skai.

During the campaign, Mitsotakis made clear that he wished New Democracy to continue to govern on its own.

While the first round was held under a proportional representation system, under the new electoral law, in the second round, the largest party is automatically awarded at least 20 additional seats in parliament. This would likely allow New Democracy to govern on its own.

The election was fought primarily on economic policy. Syriza backed a large boost to the welfare state, with increases in pensions and the minimum wage and greater state intervention in the economy.