Greece poll: Pro-bailout party's narrow win
Antonis Samaras: ''This is a victory for all Europe''
World leaders have welcomed the narrow election victory of Greece's broadly pro-bailout New Democracy party and urged Athens to form a cabinet quickly.
The eurozone group said reforms were Greece's "best guarantee" to overcome tough economic and social challenges.
The Syriza party, which rejected the bailout terms and came a close second, said it would lead the opposition.
VERY CLOSE:
With 99.9% of ballots counted, interior ministry results put New Democracy on 29.7% of the vote (129 seats), Syriza on 26.9% (71) and the socialist Pasok on 12.3% (33).
There are 300 seats in parliament and Greece has a rule that gives the leading party 50 extra seats.
New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said Greeks had chosen to stay in the euro and called for a "national salvation government".
If Antonis Samaras is confirmed in power he will have a stronger opposition breathing down his neck. He will say to Europe that he has anchored Greece in the eurozone and wants something in return. That will be difficult.
Already German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has come out and said that the substance of the Greek reform bailout programme is non-negotiable.
Where there might be some flexibility is over the timing of the implementation of reforms. There may also be some movement over interest rates on the loans and the EU might offer Greece some funds to boost growth.
But the message is clear; the austerity programme with its budget and spending cuts will stay.
The German finance minister underlined that message when he said:
"Greece's path will be neither short nor easy".
However, only 40% of voters backed parties that broadly support the bail-out deal with the EU and the IMF.
Tough austerity measures were attached to the two international bailouts awarded to Greece, an initial package worth 110bn euros (£89bn; $138bn) in 2010, then a follow-up last year worth 130bn euros.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18482415
