Syriza wins 2nd term in Greek general election

With 145 seats in the 300-member Greek parliament, Syriza is well ahead of the centre-right New Democracy party that secured 28 per cent votes and 75 seats.

Alexis Tsipras' Syriza party in Greece won its second general election in a year on Sunday with a 35.5 per cent share of the vote. However, abstention levels touched a historical high of 44 per cent.

With 145 seats in the 300-member Greek parliament, Syriza is well ahead of the centre-right New Democracy party that secured 28 per cent votes and 75 seats.

“The Greek people have given us a clear mandate to discard whatever kept us stuck in the past,” Tsipras said. “It’s a crystal clear mandate to escape from the old, corrupt establishment that governed this country for so many years.”

The Syriza-Independent Greeks coalition will have only the slightest of majorities in parliament, which may prompt Tsipras to invite a third party to join his government.

Tsipras warned there would be no easy exit from the country’s six-year recession.

His first task as re-elected prime minister will be to implement the tough austerity measures imposed by creditors in return for a new €86bn rescue package.