Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party breezed to a comfortable victory over rival Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) in Sunday's general elections in Greece with a 5 percent lead. With 100% of votes counted, ND polled 45.36 percent of the vote to PASOK's 40.55, a result that makes 48-year-old Costas Karamanlis the next -- and youngest ever -- Greek prime minister, when his cabinet is sworn-in on Wednesday. Voter turnout was 76.5%.

  ND secures a significant majority with 165 seats in the 300-member Greek Parliament, against 117 for PASOK. The Communist Party of Greece ranked a distant third wining 5.89 percent of the vote and 12 seats, while the Coalition of the Radical Left received 3.26 percent, a fraction over the 3.00 percent, minimum needed to be represented in the Parliament, where it will have 6 seats. The Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) mustered 2.19 percent and the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) reeived 1.79 percent. (see attached table with the official results)

 Karamanlis, nephew of Greek statesman Constantine Karamanlis, won the premiership on his second try after assuming the party’s reins in 1997. He lost the April 2000 elections by a mere 70,000 votes. The ND leader will also be the first prime minister born after the divisive Greek civil war (1946-49).

 The newly elected PASOK leader George Papandreou, the former high-profile Greek foreign minister, failed to follow in the footsteps of his late father, three-time premier and PASOK founder Andreas Papandreou.

For the official elections results click Here

Source: Athens News Agency

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