Socialist PASOK leader George Papandreou started putting together a cabinet today after winning a decisive mandate to battle corruption and lead Greece out of an worsening economic downturn.
Appointments to key economy, finance and foreign ministry posts were expected as early as tomorrow, and Greek media were reporting Mr Papandreou might take one of the jobs for himself to emphasise how seriously he took the crisis.
With 99 per cent of yesterday’s vote counted, results showed PASOK had thrashed the conservative New Democracy party, which suffered the worst showing in its history.
PASOK won a comfortable majority of 160 seats in the 300-member parliament.
It was a personal victory for US-born Papandreou, 57, who was handpicked in 2004 to lead the party his father Andreas founded, partly on the strength of his name, only to twice lose to another scion of a political family, Costas Karamanlis.
"What is impressive in this parliamentary election is that George Papandreou crushed his opponent with the largest percentage difference in the last 35 years," said Anthony Livanios, political analyst at polling agency Alpha Metrics.
Mr Karamanlis gave up his role as party chief when he conceded the election last night.
Even more difficult challenges now lie ahead. Greece's budget deficit tops 6 per cent of GDP – well above the EU limit of 3 per cent –unemployment is rising and the public is clamouring for solutions to urgent crises in endemic corruption, education, social security and immigration.
"We must consolidate all our strength, we have a heavy responsibility," Mr Papandreou said today before receiving a formal mandate from the president to form a government.
Mr Papandreou was set to be sworn in as prime minister on Tuesday and afterward obtain a presidential decree to allow him to rearrange ministries, including splitting economy and finance, a PASOK official said.