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Supporters of New Democracy celebrate at the party's headquarters in Athens, Greece [Louiza Vradi/Reuters]
By Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Arwa Ibrahim, Edna Mohamed and Teo Kermeliotis
Published On 20 May 2023

This blog is now closed; thank you for joining us. These were all the updates on Greece’s general election on Sunday, May 21.

21 May 2023 - 19:55
 (19:55 GMT)

The ‘electoral cycle is not over yet’, says Tsipras

With more than 82 percent of the ballot counted, Tsipras said the “electoral cycle is not over yet”.

The next battle, he said, will be “critical and final”.

Tsipras’ Syriza party has so far garnered 20.1 percent of the vote, while rival New Democracy party is credited with 40.8 percent of the votes, a 20-point lead.

Despite a clear win for New Democracy, they are still short of reaching an outright majority.

21 May 2023 - 19:23
 (19:23 GMT)

New Democracy has the approval of the people, says Mitsotakis

In his victory speech, Mitsotakis said he had won a mandate to form a strong autonomous government.

“The ballot results are decisive. They show that New Democracy has the approval of the people to rule, strong and autonomous,” Mitsotakis said.

He also said only “strong governments” can enact the changes needed.

21 May 2023 - 19:18
 (19:18 GMT)

A ‘wide’ difference between New Democracy and Syriza

Reporting from Athens, Al Jazeera’s Stefani Dekker said Mitsotakis addressed his supporters now that 75 percent of the vote has been counted.

“We’re expecting him [Mitsotakis] to come out now that those final numbers are solidifying, 75 percent of the vote has been counted, 40 percent to New Democracy and 20 percent to Syriza, that is quite a wide difference between them,” Dekker said.

Despite early predictions, Dekker said many people she spoke to are surprised by the result, especially after a wiretapping scandal and a deadly train crash.

21 May 2023 - 19:11
 (19:11 GMT)

Mitsotakis addresses nation

Mitsotakis says his party’s election success shows that New Democracy has the people’s approval to rule as a one-party government.

Addressing the nation, he described the result as a “political earthquake” and thanked voters for backing his party.

“Greece needs a government that believes in reforms, and this cannot happen with a fragile government,” he said.

21 May 2023 - 18:54
 (18:54 GMT)

Tsipras calls Mitsotakis, congratulates him

Tsipras has called Mitsotakis to congratulate him on the ruling party’s election showing, according to local media reports.

Neither leader has publicly commented on the results yet.

Alexis Tsipras at his party’s headquarters [Elias Marcou/Reuters]
21 May 2023 - 18:51
 (18:51 GMT)

No change as 70% of ballots counted

With 71.39 percent of the ballots counted, the result remains largely unchanged:

  • New Democracy: 40.83 percent, 145 seats
  • Syriza: 20.07 percent, 72 seats
  • PASOK-KINAL: 11.82 percent, 42 seats
  • KKE: 7.09 percent, 25 seats
  • Hellenic Solution: 4.50 percent, 16 seats
  • Rest parties not entering parliament: 15.69 percent
21 May 2023 - 18:35
 (18:35 GMT)

PASOK leader jubilant

A jubilant Nikos Androulakis, leader of the PASOK-KINAL (Panhellenic Socialist Movement-Movement for Change), has arrived at his party’s headquarters.

The socialist party is third, with about 12 percent of the vote and 43 seats.

Androulakis described the election, in which his party performed better than expected, as a “great day” for democracy.

21 May 2023 - 18:31
 (18:31 GMT)

Results with nearly 60% of ballots counted

With nearly 60 percent of the votes counted, the result is as follows:

  • New Democracy: 40.87 percent, 145 seats
  • Syriza: 20.09 percent, 71 seats
  • PASOK-KINAL: 11.98 percent, 43 seats
  • KKE: 7.03 percent, 25 seats
  • Hellenic Solution: 4.49 percent, 16 seats
  • Rest parties not entering parliament: 15.54 percent
21 May 2023 - 18:23
 (18:23 GMT)

New election well on the cards

Early reactions from New Democracy officials suggest that a new election is well on the cards, with June 25 now being floated as a likely date.

“It’s a huge surprise … an amazing result,” Nikos Dendias, the foreign minister in Mitsotakis’s government, told Greek public broadcaster TV ERT.

Takis Theodorikakos, a minister and a senior New Democracy official, told private TV station Skai that the result suggested that the conservatives could garner enough in a second election “to continue the reforms as an autonomous government”.

Senior Syriza official Dimitris Papadimoulis, a European Parliament vice president, told TV ERT that if confirmed, the result would be “significantly far” from the party’s goals and would mark a failure to rally opposition to the government.

An election worker empties a ballot box at a polling station in Thessaloniki, Greece [Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters]
21 May 2023 - 18:19
 (18:19 GMT)

I’m not very happy about the results: Student

While New Democracy party members celebrate the news, for some, like university student Petros Apostolakis, the result was unexpected.

“To be totally honest, I’m not very happy about the results New Democracy is receiving right now and that’s because as a young person, for the past few years, I’ve seen [the] New Democracy party implementing agendas that have nothing to do with the interests of my generation,” he told Al Jazeera in Athens.

“Climate change is not being faced enough by the mainstream parties, the rent and housing crisis we’re facing is not being faced enough by the parties in parliament, and other main issues are not being talked about enough.”

To Apostolakis, the opposition parties have not been able to express the “real needs” of the people, and that is why New Democracy is leading in the results.

21 May 2023 - 18:18
 (18:18 GMT)

Syriza leader at party HQs

Tsipras has also arrived at his party’s headquarters.

Supporters and party members cheered on the Syriza leader, even though the party’s showing appeared to be a major disappointment.

Alexis Tsipras arrives at Syriza’s headquarters in Athens, Greece [Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP]
21 May 2023 - 18:09
 (18:09 GMT)

Mitsotakis to speak at 10pm

It turns out that Mitsotakis’s statement will now take place at about 10pm local time (19:00 GMT), according to the latest information.

Mitsotakis surrounded by supporters upon arriving at the headquarters of his party in Athens, Greece [Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]
21 May 2023 - 18:05
 (18:05 GMT)

Election result assessment

The interior ministry estimates New Democracy will finish first, with 41 percent of the vote and 145 seats — just short of the 151 needed for an outright majority.

Syriza is expected to finish second with a disappointing 20 percent and 71 seats.

PASOK-KINAL follows third with 11.7 percent and 43 seats, ahead of KKE at 7.2 seats and 25 seats, and Hellenic Solution at 4.5 percent and 16 seats.

21 May 2023 - 17:44
 (17:44 GMT)

New Democracy ahead by wide margin, early official results show

Early official results show a big victory for New Democracy.

With 30 percent of the votes counted, the ruling conservatives are ahead with 41.1 percent of the vote, while Syriza trails far behind at 20.1 percent.

 

21 May 2023 - 17:33
 (17:33 GMT)

New Democracy officials in high spirits

There is jubilation among New Democracy members as the final exit poll projects that the ruling party will gain between 37.5 percent and 41.5 percent of the vote.

“[The exit polls] show a clear victory for New Democracy and a clear renewal of the mandate to continue the major changes sought by Greek society,” said government spokesperson Akis Skertsos.

Public Order Minister Takis Theodorikakos said on Skai television, “We have said that we want to govern outright because that would ensure stability and the way forward. So we have the right to ask the Greek people for that in the next election.”

Party leader, Mitsotakis, is expected to comment on the results at about 9pm local time (18:00 GMT).

Supporters of New Democracy celebrate after watching the exit poll on television [Yorgos Karahalis/AP Photo]
21 May 2023 - 17:25
 (17:25 GMT)

2023 projections compared with 2019 election results

In the previous election on July 7, 2019, New Democracy finished first, getting 39,85 percent (2,251,618 votes) and 158 seats.

It was followed by Syriza at 31,53 percent (1,781,057 votes) and 86 seats.

PASOK-KINAL was third with 8.10 percent (457,623 votes) and 22 seats, ahead of the Greek Communist Party, or KKE, at 5.30 percent (299,621 votes) and 15 seats.

The right-wing Hellenic Solution secured 3.70 percent (209,290 votes) and 10 seats, while the left-wing MeRA25 got 3.44 percent (194,576 votes) and nine seats.

A reminder that Sunday’s vote took place under a new electoral system which means that a repeat vote is highly likely.

21 May 2023 - 17:21
 (17:21 GMT)

Final projections for smaller parties

As for the smaller parties, these are their projected shares of the vote according to the final exit poll.

  • PASOK-KINAL: between 11.5 percent and 12.5 percent
  • ΚΚΕ: between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent
  • Hellenic Solution: between 4.3 percent and 5.3 percent
  • MeRA25: between 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent
  • Pleusi Eleftherias: between 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent
  • Niki: between 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent
21 May 2023 - 17:14
 (17:14 GMT)

Final exit poll shows ruling party winning by even larger margin

The polling agencies have released the final exit poll based on the complete reading of the survey carried out at polling stations across Greece.

New Democracy is projected to do even better than the preliminary exit poll, gaining between 37.5 percent and 41.5 percent.

In contrast, Syriza’s projected share of the vote has been revised lower, between 23.5 percent and 27.5 percent.

Election representatives count the ballots at a polling station in Athens, Greece [Thanassis Stavrakis/AP Photo]
21 May 2023 - 16:54
 (16:54 GMT)

Mitsotakis to make a statement

Mitsotakis is expected to make a statement commenting on the election results at about 9pm local time (18:00 GMT).

His ruling party is projected to finish first in the election, gaining between 36 percent and 40 percent of the vote.

21 May 2023 - 16:46
 (16:46 GMT)

Exit poll projects New Democracy to win 121-125 seats

The exit poll projects that the ruling New Democracy party will win between 121 and 125 parliamentary seats, while the main opposition party, Syriza, is projected to gain between 86 and 89 seats.

Third-placed PASOK-Kinal is projected to win about 35 seats.

A reminder that a party needs a majority of at least 151 seats out of 300 available to form a government.

If the exit poll is confirmed, Mitsotakis would either have to enter into negotiations with his rivals or opt for a second round of elections in July.

All three major parties have already said they would not work together and form a coalition government if they were to win the vote.

Supporters of New Democracy celebrate after the release of the exit poll [Yorgos Karahalis/AP Photo]