Antonis Samaras begins Greece 'national coalition' talks

The leader of the party that narrowly won Greece's election has begun talks to form a coalition, saying he wants to forge a "national consensus".

Antonis Samaras, of the New Democracy party, on Monday met President Karolos Papoulias to be given a formal mandate.

Mr Samaras said he would seek changes in the terms of a bailout agreement reached with the EU and IMF.

The second-place Syriza party has rejected the terms of the bailout and said it would form the opposition.

Mr Samaras said as he met the president: "A national understanding by everybody is imperative."

Under the constitution, Mr Papoulias has given Mr Samaras three days to form a government.

Mr Samaras said he believed he could form a working coalition.

Mr Papoulias said there was "a categorical imperative to form the government" immediately.

Mr Samaras will meet the leader of the socialist Pasok party, Evangelos Venizelos, this afternoon.

The main parties do not seem to be in the mood to hang around and haggle. Everyone expects a government to be formed quickly - but this is Greece so let's wait until the signatures are on paper.

The big problem they face? New Democracy and Pasok are blamed by many Greeks for running the corrupt governing system that got the country into a mess in the first place.

There is a real crisis of political legitimacy at the moment and many people only voted for New Democracy through gritted teeth. Senior party officials I've spoken to say the best way to restore some credibility is to act quickly and efficiently. But many of the measures they will need to push through will be deeply unpopular.

All of this plays into the hands of Syriza, sitting pretty in opposition. Street protests can be expected. Remind me again - who really won the election? One proposal to blunt Syriza's message is to hold a referendum on whether Greece should stay in the euro and stick with the bailout plan. This would be a gamble. But that is when people would really have to decide.

The two parties should be able to form a majority coalition, but the BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens says Mr Samaras is expected to try for a broader grouping, hoping to create a stable government with a stronger popular mandate.

With almost all ballots counted, New Democracy has 29.7% of the vote (129 seats), Syriza 26.9% (71) and Pasok 12.3% (33).

There are 300 seats in parliament and Greece has a rule that gives the leading party 50 extra seats.

However, correspondents point out that only 40% of voters backed parties that broadly support the bailout deal with the EU and the IMF.

Nevertheless, many world leaders hailed the election result.

In a statement on behalf of the 17 eurozone finance ministers, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Paul Juncker said that "continued fiscal and structural reforms are Greece's best guarantee to overcome the current economic and social challenges and for a more prosperous future of Greece in the euro area".

German Chancellor Angela Merkel telephoned Mr Samaras to congratulate him on his victory, while the US said it was in everyone's interests "for Greece to remain in the euro area".

Our correspondent says Mr Samaras will push for a lightening of the bailout terms from Brussels, arguing that Greeks have accepted more pain by electing a pro-bailout party and that Europe should now cut Greece some slack.

However, a spokesman for the German government, Georg Streiter, said Greece should "stick to its agreements and fully implement the agreed reforms. Now is not the time for any kind of discounts to Greece".

New Democracy

Keep bailout but more time for restructuring and EU help to stimulate growth

30%

Socialist (Pasok)

Keep bailout but subject it to a "structured and courageous revision"; implement fiscal adjustment over three years, not two

12%

Syriza

Cancel bailout, nationalise banks and freeze privatisations, but stay inside eurozone

27%

Independent Greeks

Reject bailout but remain in eurozone

8%

Democratic Left

Gradually disengage from bailout but stay in eurozone

6%

Communist (KKE)

Unilaterally cancel debt, leave the EU and restore Greece's own currency

4%

Golden Dawn

Tear up the bailout but not necessarily abandon the euro

7%

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