By Renee Maltezou and Angeliki Koutantou
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s two main opposition parties on Tuesday rejected the mandate given to them to form a coalition government for a second election. Groundwork was laid in June after an inconclusive vote in May 21.
Leftist Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras and Socialist PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis returned the tasks given to them by President Katerina Sakelaropoulou ( Katerina Sakellaropoulou delivered a speech.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ NDP wins 40. 8% of the vote on Sunday compared to Syriza .1%, opting earlier against forming a coalition and pushing for a second vote for absolute majority.
Tsipras said he could not form a coalition, after many voters abandoned Syriza’s radical anti-establishment style that swept him to power during the turbulent years of Greece’s debt crisis.
“I have no reason to hide that the election result was a painful shock, it was unexpected,” Tsipras said outside the presidential palace, where his leftist coalition from 2015 ruled to .
“I take full responsibility for this outcome, but in my dictionary it means standing up and fighting.”
Second vote tentatively at 6 The NDP could gain a parliamentary majority to govern alone when the winning party’s bonus vote system comes into play in May
.
The opposition does not have enough seats to form a governing coalition without the participation of the NDP.
Greek President Sakellaropoulou will now appoint a caretaker government.
“According to the public verdict, our (political) platforms have no room for convergence which is why I am reinstating this exploratory mandate immediately,” PASOK’s Androulakis said during a meeting with the Greek president. It is said that one-party governance is more stable than coalition governance.
The defeat of Syriza, which dubbed the second vote “the final battle”, revealed a split on the Greek left. Two small left-wing parties formed by former Syriza members did not get enough votes to enter parliament.
According to the election rules, the winner of the second ballot after the inconclusive first election will receive 21 Bonus If they get 40% of the vote they will get a seat in parliament and up to if they get about
In order to benefit from the bonus seats, the NDP needs to remain the largest party, but given that its closest rival Syriza in May 25 received only one in five votes, which seems possible. However, the total number of seats Mitsotakis gets will depend on how many other parties enter parliament.
