Balkans | Although the New Democracy party finished the elections in the lead in Greece, it was unable to reach the votes to form a government on its own.

According to the unofficial results of the general elections held yesterday in Greece, the New Democracy Party, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, became the first party to receive more than 40 percent of the vote.

According to the data of the Greek Ministry of the Interior, the participation rate in the elections, in which nearly 9 million and 800 thousand voters were registered, amounted to 60.87 percent.

According to the results of the polls, of which 98.30 percent are open, the New Democracy won 146 seats in the 300-seat assembly with 40.80 percent of the vote.

The main opposition, the Radical Left Alliance (SYRIZA), ranked second, with 71 seats, with 20.06 percent of the vote.

The PASOK-KINAL alliance, which finished third in the race, now has 41 seats with 11.49 percent of the vote.

The PASOK-KENAL alliance was followed by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 7.22 percent of the vote and 26 seats, and the Greek Solution Party with 4.45 percent of the vote and 16 seats.

This brought the number of parties entering Parliament to 5.

Voter turnout, which was 57.78% in the July 2019 general election, rose to 60.87% in this election.

While New Democracy was the leading party in 58 out of 59 constituencies across the country, Syriza held the lead in the electoral race only in the Rhodope region, which also includes Komotini.

Second ballot box message from Mitsotakis

In his speech after winning the election, Mitsotakis commented that the people wanted a strong government to stay in power for four years, and indicated that they would go to the polls again.

Addressing the crowd in front of his party’s headquarters, Mikotakis said, “We will fight together, which will start from tomorrow and continue until the next elections. The people have already decided that. Let only the power of new democracy be confirmed mathematically at the polls.” He said.

According to the new electoral system, it is possible to go to the polls for the second time

According to the electoral system applied for the first time this year in Greece, if the results of the ballot boxes do not allow any party to come to power on its own, negotiations will take place to form a coalition. If a coalition consensus is not reached, ballot boxes are created for the electors for the second time.

When the ballot box goes to the polls for the second time, the party that comes first is awarded an additional 20 seats in the 300-seat parliament, provided it receives at least 25 percent of the vote. Each time the voting rate exceeds 25% by 0.5%, the number of additional seats increases by one.

According to unofficial results, if New Democracy, which has 146 seats in parliament, gets the same percentage of votes in the polls for the second time, it is expected that the number of seats will exceed 160 and it is expected to take power on its own.

AA