World

Greece's anti-bailout Syriza seeks coalition partners after just missing majority

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Leader of Syriza left-wing party Alexis Tsipras speaks to his supporters outside Athens University Headquarters, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015. Anti-bailout Syriza, led by the 40-year-old Alexis Tsipras, won Sunday's snap general election, but it was unclear whether he would have enough seats in parliament to form a government alone, or whether he would need the support of a smaller party. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (The Associated Press)

A supporter of left-wing Syriza party reacts at the election kiosk in Athens, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015. Greek election officials say the anti-austerity Syriza party has won Sunday's vote, but it is too soon to say whether it has enough support to form a governing majority. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (The Associated Press)

A man walks by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo showing Japan's Nikkei 225 that dropped 43.23 points or 0.25 percent and closed at 17,468.52 Monday, Jan. 26, 2015. Asian stocks and the euro were weaker Monday after Greece's anti-austerity opposition party won a big victory in national elections, renewing fears the European common currency bloc could unravel. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) (The Associated Press)

Greece's left-wing Syriza party is preparing to launch coalition talks hours after a landmark general election victory fought on a pledge to rewrite the country's massive bailout deal with the eurozone.

Alexis Tsipras' Syriza just missed a majority in parliament after defeating Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' conservative coalition by a wider than expected margin.

With 99.8 percent of the vote counted, Syriza won 149 seats in the 300-member parliament with 36.3 percent of the vote. The conservatives were on 27.8 percent, and the extreme right Golden Dawn party in third place with 6.28 percent.

Tsipras is to meet the leader of the right wing Independent Greeks party, an anti-bailout ally, on Monday morning, with the party already expressing willingness to join a coalition.