Official projections indicate that Greece's pro-bailout New
Democracy Party have come in first in Sunday's election and that it and
other pro-bailout parties could form a coalition government.
The projections show the New Democracy party winning 29.5 percent and
128 seats, with the radical leftist Syriza bloc just behind at 27.1
percent and 72 seats.
"I voted for the bailout because these are the terms that will keep us in Europe," said 66-year-old English teacher Koula Louizopoulou after voting in Athens, hinting that she had chosen New Democracy.
A pro-bailout coalition
New Democracy and PASOK, the country's two traditional parties, are believed to have won enough seats to form a coalition. A coalition needs to have at least 151 of the 300 seats to form a majority government. Both parties wish to work with other European nations to stay in the 17-nation eurozone.
Syriza, led by a 37-year-old former communist, had vowed to tear up the punishing terms of the bailout agreement in order to repeal strict austerity measures.
Greece's lenders have said the new government must accept the conditions of a 130 billion euro ($164 billion) bailout agreement or funds will be cut off, driving Athens into bankruptcy.
With such stark choices, Sunday's election has been divisive within Greece, where austerity measures in line with the terms of the bailout have been greeted with protests.
Experts worldwide were watching the vote Sunday as well, knowing that a win for the anti-bailout Syriza could have led to Greece's exit from the eurozone as well as the feared and unknown ripple effects such a move would have on the global economy. With the results going the other way, Greece's future in the eurozone is secured.
tm/jlw (dpa, AP, Reuters)
Deutsche Welle
"I voted for the bailout because these are the terms that will keep us in Europe," said 66-year-old English teacher Koula Louizopoulou after voting in Athens, hinting that she had chosen New Democracy.
A pro-bailout coalition
New Democracy and PASOK, the country's two traditional parties, are believed to have won enough seats to form a coalition. A coalition needs to have at least 151 of the 300 seats to form a majority government. Both parties wish to work with other European nations to stay in the 17-nation eurozone.
Syriza, led by a 37-year-old former communist, had vowed to tear up the punishing terms of the bailout agreement in order to repeal strict austerity measures.
Greece's lenders have said the new government must accept the conditions of a 130 billion euro ($164 billion) bailout agreement or funds will be cut off, driving Athens into bankruptcy.
With such stark choices, Sunday's election has been divisive within Greece, where austerity measures in line with the terms of the bailout have been greeted with protests.
Experts worldwide were watching the vote Sunday as well, knowing that a win for the anti-bailout Syriza could have led to Greece's exit from the eurozone as well as the feared and unknown ripple effects such a move would have on the global economy. With the results going the other way, Greece's future in the eurozone is secured.
tm/jlw (dpa, AP, Reuters)
Deutsche Welle
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